Line in the Sky
by angrbodagiantess
Summary: Loki thought returning to Asgard after his time on Earth would return everything to normal, but his world is turned upside down when a nighttime visitor changes everything. But is everything as it seems? Post-Avengers, h/c, angst, Loki-whump, no slash, full cast of Avengers. Warnings inside.
1. Shadows of the Past

**A/N: ****This story might seem like a sequel to something, but it's more of a "spiritual successor" to a lot of the Loki h/c fics out there. You probably already know the type of story if you're reading this. This fic will probably get passed the 100k word mark, it's gonna be long.****  
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**Tags (they should steal that from AO3): No slash, gen, h/c, angst, sci-fi elements, action/adventure, some dark parts, features Loki, Thor, the Avengers, many others**

**_Trigger warnings:_ torture, mentions of torture, non-con/rape* (****_If you want to skip it_, it's obvious when it's about to happen, just look for the next break in the story, the "." which denotes passage of time)**.

**_Chapter warnings:_ non-con/rape, violence  
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**_Rated M for:_ aforementioned warnings, minimal language (one use of the F-word in a later chapter), action sequences/violence**

***the rape is not very explicit, but I didn't skip over it either. I've always felt that skipping over such a dramatic scene cheapens it, somewhat (unless it happened in the past), and my own thinking is that reading about it is the equivalent of holding someone's hand while they go through something horrible. It makes it more visceral and forces the reader to experience it, too. I read (and write) to get into the heads of characters, I hope it doesn't drive you away from this fic. It does have a strong trigger possibility because of that, though. I urge you to at least finish the chapter before giving up on it because of the rape (also because of _who_ commits it).**

**Disclaimer: you know the drill, none of the characters belong to me, bla bla, etc. These characters are so lucky they don't belong to me.**

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**- Chapter 1 -**

**_Shadows of the Past_**

The corridor was darker than usual. The golden pillars reached silently into the dim ceiling far overhead, spaced evenly and lining the candlelit stretch of hall. The sound of revelry had died down a while ago, and Loki was beginning to question whether he should have indeed waited for Thor. His brother had noticed Loki's discomfort amidst the sea of raucous laughter, something he would have never noticed before, and had put his arm around him with a blinding smile asking if Loki wanted to join him for a late night sparring session. It was obvious, at least to Loki, that Thor was attempting to save him from having to ask for help, so as to avoid going back to his room alone. The old Loki would have scoffed. The old Loki would have brushed the golden son's arm off and stalked away haughtily, but then, the old Loki wouldn't have wanted any help at all. He wasn't that Loki anymore.

He passed a high window that stretched into the blackened ceiling, its maw dotted with haphazardly thrown stars, pin pricks of white painted across a midnight sky. He turned left at the window without thinking, the path burned into his subconscious, now an instinct more than anything else. His own room, still waiting patiently where it had always been.

Loki shook his head at the corridor ahead, annoyed. _When did the palace become so dark?_ Even in his memory, as tainted as it was, the palace was never this dark, even in the dead of a calmer, more ordinary night. But he kept his pace, his booted footfalls echoing silently across the white marbled floor, the golden walls whispered back his creaking leathers.

Loki missed the Avengers. He wondered if he would be able to admit it out loud. He remembered, vividly, the second time he had come to Midgard- _Earth_. Tony had chuckled and pointed out that Loki no longer referred to it as _Midgard_, but instead by its "true" name, or so the drunk had put it whilst tinkering with his metal suit. _When did that happen?_ When did he start calling it Earth?

Thor had found him after months of searching. The nine realms were difficult to search, especially with the Bifrost still under repair, but Thor had finally found him. The Chitauri weren't what scared Loki; it was _him_, their master... What the Other had promised had been true, to the last grating word. Loki shuddered. He didn't want to remember, didn't want to hear his own thoughts, the echoes of screams he barely recognized even when it was still fresh and bloodied across his mind.

He shut his eyes a moment but continued walking, opening them only when the memories had faded. _But Earth..._ Thor's path, after finding Loki, led him to Earth. No one understood how he had managed to find his way back to the nine realms, and even Thor seemed at a loss to fully explain what had happened. Loki had shut his eyes through the entire ordeal, unable and unwilling to believe in a hope that seemed so long lost. _A dream, a dream,_ his mind had told him. _A drop of phantom water in the vastness of an eternal desert._ But it had been real; Thor had come for him. Six months, he had been told, but Loki knew it had been longer. The Avengers soon realized that time passed differently where he had been, faster, unfortunately for the trickster god. For Thor it had been something closer to a year, travelling throughout the nine, and then, somehow, out into the vast nothingness that was the Chitauri's home. Then suddenly, Loki's eyes had blinked in the atmosphere of Midgard, surrounded by his enemies- but _he _was truly there, his golden brother had come. Standing with arms wrapped under him, carrying, protecting. The months that followed found the eclectic group coming together for the former villain, a strange circumstance and sorrow that ate at each of them until they had embraced the god of mischief in turn; his past deeds not forgotten but forgiven. Even now, Loki can't understand it.

_Yes, Earth,_ he mused, _that is its name._

Loki's chambers were next to Thor's, nearest the large window at the end of the corridor. Thor's room, before the Chitauri- _and everything else_ -used to be several corridors down from Loki's, the trickster having purposely chosen a room in a secluded corner of the palace to get away from his brother, away from the blinding arrogance and graceless minutia that constantly surrounded the thunder god; or so Loki had told himself. But when they had finally returned home, the Tesseract once again employed to that end, Thor, without a single word, had moved into the chambers beside Loki's, his belongings appearing on only the first day. Loki was secretly glad of it, but had said nothing.

'_You are too quiet now, brother',_ Thor had said on the same day, his half sad smile betraying his attempt at humor. Loki had never been as boisterous as the blonde, nor as forceful, but his talent with words was renowned and frequently used to get them out of trouble- or at least some attempt was made to that purpose. Now... now his tongue seemed a lead weight, foreign and forgotten amidst the echoes shifting in his dreams- nightmares skimming at the edge of his memory, screams and pain he longed to forget. But the dead thing in his mouth now only reminded him of the past, shadows in every corner.

The door neared, its golden handles seemingly dulled in the dim light, different than what he remembered, the brightness hidden. A shift of wind and a soft sound like a footstep caught his ear several steps away from his closed door. Loki paused, looking around.

"Hello?" He almost laughed at himself. _What, expecting monsters in the palace, are we? Thor warned about watching those films Tony insisted upon._ He shook his head, amused, ignoring the dark stretches of shadows the line of pillars to his right created. _Why must these pillars line every corridor?_ It suddenly seemed a terrible oversight on the designers' part, a perfect hiding place for any number of enemies to linger. Loki furrowed his brow but continued forward, the comfort of his room calling.

The wind shifted again, the burst of sudden movement reached his ears even before he felt his body being jerked backwards.

.

The strong hand over his mouth is what he felt first. Then the crushing weight of a titan arm around his waist holding his arms down from behind. Loki tried to struggle, tried to make a sound, but the surprised noise caught in his throat as nothing escaped his closed lips. The assailant gripped Loki tightly, moving backward into the shadows of the pillars, obscured from sight. Loki wanted to move, to at least _see_ who it was, but the hand around his mouth and jaw held firm, his head pushed back to rest on the attacker's shoulder. _Most likely a man,_ Loki thought- not that it helped any. He heard his attacker's breathing, somewhere near his left ear, and somehow, it was familiar. _Do I know this man? _Loki tried to struggle again, his legs still free but useless without something to kick at. He finally managed to find his words, a quiet mumble barely escaping into the cool night air. Loki breathed harshly through his nose, then attempted another muffled struggle, his attacker responding with a tighter grip with both arms.

Loki knew only a few moments had passed, but he began to wonder what purpose this man had. _Does he mean to kill me? Retribution? Revenge? Ransom? Is this a kidnapping? Does he think he can escape the palace so easily?_ Even with the mostly emptied corridors, the guards still made their rounds throughout the palace, no one could get very far without running into them, much less with a hostage prince._ Or perhaps he means to kill me here...then what does he wait for?_

"Make a sound, and it will not end well for you," a whispered voice suddenly broke the silence near Loki's ear, too close for comfort. _Is that..? It sounds like- _he would have scolded himself with laughter if not for the fear crawling up his spine. The deep voice spoke again, although somewhat less whispered, "If you think the guards will hear you if you scream, I'm afraid I may have given them orders to stay away from your little corner here..._Loki_." The voice, _it can't be..._ The last word, the way he said his name sent shivers through Loki's body. _But his words finally sunk in. Orders? Why would they listen to him?_ "So, little one, now is not the time to fight back, hm?"

Then suddenly they were moving, the man half-dragging Loki across the short stretch between the pillars and Loki's closed door. The attacker's boots shuffled across the marble as Loki once again attempted to struggle, his room suddenly seeming like the last place he wanted to be- entering there with an unwelcome guest, somehow it seemed a sort of defilement, the quiet space, the sanctuary would be tainted by whatever this situation might be. Loki quickly jerked up both his legs, his feet planted determinedly on the golden doors, defiantly halting entrance. The man held fast with his arm unfaltering around Loki's waist, but the hand wrapped around his mouth let up suddenly. But before Loki could cry out, the hand had moved to the trickster's throat, crushing with an iron hold. Loki choked, but was determined to fight back, somehow, in any way he could, his legs shaky but planted with dark boots on golden designs.

"Now, now," the man growled, his words sounded almost amused but were still laced with irritation. Somewhere in the back of Loki's mind, he recognized that voice, but the conscious part of him wanted nothing to do with those thoughts so he ignored them, pushed them back.

His attacker moved backwards a step, the trickster's legs fell with a thud to the floor. Loki flinched back when the door before him opened unexpectedly, the sight before him more than he could believe.

.

The female eyes before him looked back in surprise, but only for a moment. _What?! How can- Sif? What is happening?_

"Out of the way!" the man grumbled, hauling Loki easily across the threshold, his bundle suddenly limp with surprise. Loki thought his eyes might be betraying him until he heard the familiar warrior goddess' voice behind him. _And...why is her hair blonde?_ He was certain he was imagining it.

"What took you so long?" She circled around them and glared half-heartedly at the man still holding Loki. The trickster stared at her, still shocked. _Not imagining it. When did Sif change her hair? What's going on?!_ His questions were muffled when the hand returned to his cover his mouth.

The man walked a few more steps forward, but still held onto Loki. "And what did you expect me to do, Sif? Go look for him? What if I had run into the other one?" His words did not mask his slightly amused tone. Loki knew the voice now. He knew it, didn't want to acknowledge it, but the woman's words crushed that wish.

"Thor...what if the guards hear him? Did you think-"

"Don't think me a fool, _Sif_. I know who I am here. I ordered the guards away, told them I had personal guards that were replacing them." He chuckled darkly. "They seemed somewhat displeased at the notion." He chuckled again.

Loki was frozen as his insides churned. _No... No, not possible..._ He suddenly wanted to speak, wanted nothing more. He tried to force words out, tried to force them past the harsh hand pressing against his mouth. But the muffled sounds only served to amuse his captors. _Let me speak! What is this!?_ He began struggling again, not to get away, but to reveal the man holding him. _No. Not him... _Loki suddenly felt his body freed, wrenched out of the strong grip. He crashed to the floor before him, his legs failing. The man continued laughing, the sound sickened Loki, like a corruption embracing the familiar and wonderful thing he had heard so many times over the course of his long life. _No..._ His mind reeled as he turned around, half-sitting, half-lying on the ground, his body suddenly unwilling to move. _Thor?_ _How- _But the man that he called brother now had his hand around Loki's throat again, pulling him to his feet. The face of his brother was still smiling, mirthless and sinister, a hidden secret behind the blue orbs that sent shivers across Loki's body.

The mischief god wanted to speak, but the hand still gripped his throat, air barely getting through. Sif had moved out of Loki's sight, somewhere behind him, nearer his bed. _Sif...Thor..._ Loki's mind didn't want to think, didn't want to consider or answer anything.

The hand suddenly let up, releasing Loki. Immediately, he tried to run for the door, a foolish move, maybe, but his instincts screamed at him to run. Something other than confusion at his brother's betrayal driving him- something haunting that slipped the cracks of Thor's dark smile. But the same arm wrapped around Loki's waist again, but his hands were free, as well as his mouth.

"Thor!" Loki screamed, "Why are you doing this!? What's happened to you?" His voice cracked as he choked the words out. _No, not possible. _"If this is a trick, I will _never _forgive you-"

"Trick?" Thor laughed again, Loki felt violated by the sound. The arm let go, then suddenly gripped Loki around the jaw, forcing him to look into Thor's blue eyes. "This is not a _trick_, little god. But," he started walking, forcing Loki to take steps backward to match him, "perhaps there will be some _sorcery_ here, instead." Loki furrowed his brow but continued staring at his brother. _But is he still my brother? What is he doing? _None of it made sense.

"What sorcery?" Loki found his voice shaking. He didn't care.

Sif's voice drifted toward them from behind.

"Thor. Here." Loki heard a clanking sound like metal flying through the air, just as Thor caught something in his free hand. Loki tried to wrench free of the other hand, still bruising his jaw, but to no avail. Without warning Loki was thrust to the ground, only one hand barely managing to break his fall. The next second he was on his stomach, both hands wrenched behind and gripped in one of Thor's hands, just as something cold clicked around Loki's neck. _What-_

"Thor-" Loki began, but was cut off by Thor leaning down, lips near his left ear.

"Quiet now." It was not a request. The low growled words sent shivers through Loki's entire body. _What's become of him..?_ Loki wanted to disobey. He wanted to scream at him, force him to answer. His hands were suddenly free of Thor's grip, only to feel one hand resting casually on his back; not hindering, but it somehow felt dangerous, like a storm threatening on the horizon.

A sudden thought occurred to him and he wondered why he hadn't tried it before now- confusion and panic had been the only things on his mind. Loki felt for the familiar force, the essence from within, his constant companion. He felt the energy grow, whispering at the edges of his control, waiting for his command. One side of Loki's lips turned up slightly, _yes... let's see you find me when I am-_

"_Ahh!_" A burst of pain rippled its way through Loki's body just as he attempted to summon his magic. He curled in on himself and blinked through the tears welling in his clenched eyes. His breath was somewhere near, held hostage in his caged chest. There was laughter nearby; a man and a woman's. Loki forced his eyes open and found himself on his side, arms hugging his middle, lungs finally burning with air. He gasped and stared at the two. Thor still crouched over him, elbows resting casually on his knees, and Sif, sitting with legs wide and leaning back on a chair tilted on two back legs near the far wall.

She continued to laugh as Thor spoke, "Feel free to try that again, but I'm afraid the result will be the same." He laughed again then stood up slowly.

Loki glared at Sif for a moment, but looked up to Thor before speaking, "Thor, what have y-" Thor's face was suddenly near, threatening without even a word. The older god raised one finger slowly, wagging it.

"No, no," he sung slowly, "what did I say about being quiet?" Loki clamped his mouth shut and averted his eyes, this Thor was nothing like his brother. Even his casual gaze made Loki want to cringe and shrink into himself. His smile, the smile he was gracing Loki with now, wasn't like the one he remembered, had seen a million times. It wasn't what it was supposed to be: blinding and warm like a thousand suns. Instead, it was jagged like the blinding edge of a knife stabbed through the eye. Loki briefly wondered if it wasn't a mirror for himself from...before.

Thor stared at him for one long moment, Loki kept his gaze away from him.

Finally, Thor lifted himself slowly, then walked back toward Sif. "How much longer?" he heard Thor ask Sif from several steps away. It wasn't the voice Loki expected from an impatient Thor; it was quiet but firm, deliberate and calculated.

_What do they mean to do with me?_ The thing around his neck, a _collar_, Loki now observed, was certainly metal and strangely shaped. He tried his best to discretely fumble with it with one hand, trying to find a latch or something to pry it open with. His fingers finally settled on a small hole, and Loki immediately recognized it as a keyhole.

"You'll not get anywhere without the key, sorcerer," said Thor in a dry tone. Loki wanted to shoot back with an _'obviously'_ but decided he liked his not-brother at his current distance- and Thor had already looked away, back at Sif, "Well?"

She shot him a glare, but answered, "Another hour, at least." Loki wondered why the time mattered, and he had noticed Sif looking at something cupped in her right hand, which she promptly put into a pocket in her armor the next moment.

"An hour," Thor said, mostly to himself.

"You never were very patient, Thor," Sif smirked. "Why not entertain yourself? You always were very creative in that respect." She eyed him for a moment with a smirk, then leaned the chair back again, the two front legs lifting as the back hit the wall behind.

"Hmm," Thor began, "that is true." He leaned over her, an arm resting on the back wall. "Perhaps we could entertain _each other_." Loki could almost hear his not-brother's suggestive smile from across the room.

Sif rolled her eyes and looked away from him, toward the desk next to the chair. "I'm not quite _that _bored." She set the two front legs down, just as her gaze drifted toward their prisoner who had moved into a sitting position, arms resting on his drawn-up knees, fingers intertwined. Loki eyed her warily. "But," she continued, "maybe you could have some fun with our little prisoner, instead?"

Thor's left hand remained on the wall, but he craned his neck to look at Loki. Loki shifted his gaze to him, suddenly frightened of the look settling in the lightning blue eyes.

"Thor..?" Loki felt his breath catch in his throat.

"Hm," Thor hummed and took a single step back, then looked at Sif, who shrugged and went back to balancing on the chair. His eyes returned to the trickster. Loki's gaze burned into Thor, trying to discern his intentions. "You think so?" came Thor's rhetorical question, his face bore a feigned look of contemplation.

Sif answered anyway. "Why are you asking, Thor." She had picked up a book and was now perusing through it, seemingly bored of the conversation. "You've always done whatever you please," she sighed, still ignoring the other two and leaning her chair against the wall once more.

Thor walked slowly toward Loki, their eyes locked. Loki wanted nothing more than to look away as the dark boots approached, but he couldn't, his eyes determined to find some answers somewhere in the blues of his brother's eyes. _Brother..._ Loki found himself backing away on the floor, barely aware of his own movement.

"_Thor_-" Loki managed to whisper, but Thor was suddenly so near, his fingers curled into the bottom of the collar, jerking Loki halfway up, suddenly on his knees.

"Now, what did I say about _being quiet_, hm?" Loki stared wide-eyed at Thor, the thunderer's voice raised for the first time since the ordeal had begun. "Well?" The trickster winced and jerked back at the sound so near, _too _close. This face wasn't his brother's, it had never been his brother's. _Never..._

He felt the backhand through his entire frame, Thor's vambrace drawing blood on Loki's cheek. Thor laughed, amused but hollow. Sif said nothing. Her eyes continued to ignore the other two, casually lost in the book before her, the _tap tap_ of the chair's back clicking on the white marble.

Another blow landed, although Loki didn't know from where, as his eyes began to water. Fingers had let go of his collar, but now squeezed his throat. They pulled him up only to throw him into a nearby wall to his left, near the door. A _crack_ resounded through the steadfast stone. He was thrown against another wall, then the floor, then the wall again; his body broke a few chairs and a table, then something else he didn't recognize.

"Broth-" Loki croaked out, but Thor didn't seem to hear him. Dark spots swam across Loki's vision just as the older god grabbed the younger by the collar again with one hand, then dragged him across the floor as if he were made of air. Loki gagged and choked and tried to relieve the pressure by holding on to Thor's arm, without much success. His attempts at protest were stopped along with his breath, caught violently in his throat.

Loki suddenly felt himself being lifted, the one arm reaching up and suddenly letting go, just as Loki found the sense to brace for an impact with the floor. But none came, he landed on a soft surface. He blinked past his coughing and pain, trying to feel his way around. _The bed?_ His own blood tickled his eyes, but he could see his dark green covers clearly enough. Loki lifted his head and slowly turned around, one hand nursing his sore throat.

"Thor," he choked out, but it barely sounded like the word it was meant to be. He continued anyway, "Thor...what are you-" he coughed several times, "what are you doing?" Thor neared, his legs touched the bed, his face expressionless.

"Well!" Thor suddenly burst out with one hand outstretched beside him, as if presenting to a crowd. "It is impossible to make him shut up!" A sneer crossed his face as he cocked his head at Loki. He bent closer, "Perhaps we could put those words to better use..." A smile slowly crawled across his face, blonde hair hanging down. Loki suddenly felt the urge to run, to spring off the bed and scream into the darkness of the corridors until they reached to the hearts in Valhalla.

_No no no..._ It was impossible- _Can't be. No. I__mpossible. _But the look on Thor's face told him everything. Everything he needed to know before he felt a terrified scream escape his own lips.

"No! No no no!" He attempted to scramble away, toward the other end of the bed, _anywhere_, away from the look on his brother's tainted face. But harsh hands were already around his waist, holding him tightly in place. He was on his stomach now, the foreign face gone, replaced by green sheets. "Thor! What are you doing?! Let me go, you oaf!"

"Oh. Now there's name calling." The blonde's laugh sounded muffled to Loki, his panic hammering through his ears as he trembled. Loki clawed and grabbed at the covers, trying to get away; he only succeeded in messing up the covers, there was nowhere to go, nothing to stop it. He felt two strong hands push his shoulders down into the bed, then suddenly, a voice in his right ear, whispered, "Maybe you can scream for me..."

And Loki did. He screamed when he heard leather ripping, he screamed when he heard Thor laughing, and when an unimaginable pain crackled up his spine. He felt his own hands ripping at sheets and still trying to get away, a useless instinct. He felt the warm tears pooling on the bed, his choked sobs muffled beneath him.

His broken voice came without permission, "Brother, stop..._please_." His vision wouldn't focus, his voice a whimpered sob. The heat was stifling.

"Brother?" A confused voice surrounded him, went through him. The assault paused a moment, hung in the air like dust in a blinding light. Thor continued, "Did he say brother?" He heard a female laugh from across the room. _Sif._ He had forgotten she was in the room. _What's wrong with her? Why won't she stop this?_

"Oh yes," came Sif's distant voice, "I did notice that particular detail in his journal." She laughed again. Thor's voice seemed so near by comparison.

"Hm. Are you saying I'm violating my own brother?" The words which should have been laced with disgust were instead hidden behind barely contained laughter. Sif said nothing, but Loki suddenly didn't care about her as vomit worked its way into his mouth and onto the covers of the tear-stained bed. "Oh," Thor said flatly, "that explains that." Loki was momentarily glad that he was able to direct it away from himself, but realized it meant nothing given what was happening. Even so, he hoped the short reprieve would allow him to somehow talk some sense into Thor.

"Brother," Loki cringed at the word but hoped it might have some effect on his attacker, "please, _please_ stop. Have I done something to displease you?"

He hated his own words. Hated that begging now came so easily to him. The Chitauri had done far worse to him, but this outweighed everything they had done. That Thor, the man he called _brother_, could do something like this to him- Loki suddenly feared for his own sanity. _Perhaps this is a delusion? Perhaps I'm still with the Chitauri...with...with _him. _Perhaps this is another illusion cast into my mind to make me break yet again..._ But no, he knew it wasn't true. And that, most of all, _hurt_. He suddenly wished he _was_ still with those monsters, at least then he could cry out for his brother to save him. It never did anything of course, he never came, but it was the one solace in the deepest and darkest abyss he was hurled into with every breath he took within that endless midnight. That is brother _might_ come. _No...it's not true, is it? Please be true!_ He wanted his brother back, he wanted the enemy he could understand on the other side of the fence where it belonged, not so near, not wearing his beloved brother's skin.

Thor didn't seem to hear him, or he was ignoring him; it didn't matter, Loki vomited again as the nightmare continued.

.

The god of mischief didn't know when he had lost consciousness. He also didn't remember being dragged to the floor. It was cold and Loki was at the foot of the bed. He lifted his eyes, the only part of him that didn't hurt, and found he was surrounded by splatters of blood, defiling the white marble and snaking its way up the once-clean sheets.

He blinked furiously, trying to clear his vision. _Am I finally alone?_ No. The figure moved, still sitting with legs wide, balancing, up and down the chair went. _Click click._ A sinister tight-lipped grin crossed her face but she didn't lift her head from the black book. _My journal_, Loki now recognized. Her hair was still blonde; her gaze still distant- foreign. The room seemed quieter, darker.

"You have an interesting life, princeling." Her voice drifted toward him; Loki didn't feel like answering. Her eyes narrowed a dark but playful look at him. "Don't worry," she cooed softly, "I told Thor he's not _really _your brother, it seems you're adopted..." As if that mattered. Her voice trailed off and he didn't care what else she had to say, the mention of Thor had Loki looking around for him frantically despite the pain shooting through his body. Sif seemed to notice, "Oh don't fret your pretty little head, _my prince_, your big brother hasn't left. He's just in the washroom." She nodded toward the direction of the room, then smirked at the look of horror the prince couldn't hide. Loki knew he didn't have much time before _he_ returned again; he trembled at even the thought of him being near, his eyes clenched shut.

"Sif," his throat was sore, but the word was steady. She glanced at him for a moment, then returned her attention to the small book. He opened his eyes to her.

"What is it, prince?" she sighed her boredom.

"Sif. Please help me. Whatever Thor has promised you," Loki found it hard to think of the right words since he didn't understand the situation in the first place. "I can give you...whatever you wish." His voice was shaky, but it didn't matter as long as she heard him. He suddenly wished he could push himself up, at least to a sitting position. His side was so very cold against the unyielding marble, and his lying on the ground didn't exactly encourage the thought that he had something worthwhile to give.

"Oh?" Her gaze still had not lifted. Her voice remained bored. "And what could _you_ possibly have that I would want?" Loki honestly didn't know. He might have been able to convince a Sif that was acting rationally. One that he _knew_. But this one...she wasn't the Sif he grew up with. She was..._different_, disturbingly so. The same differences somehow made him believe she _might_ be willing to betray Thor, but he simply couldn't be sure.

"I..." His words were failing him, _where's that silvertongue now? _"...Whatever you wish. I-I am certain there is something," he swallowed hard. "With my magic, surely there is something-"

"As _tempting_ as your offer might be, _Loki_, there is the simple problem of that collar," she poked a finger toward him for a moment. "And I'm afraid I don't have the key." She smiled mockingly at him. _Damn my silvertongue! Why does it fail me now?! Nothing to say? There's nothing! Nothing! What do they intend to do with me? What do they wait for?_

"Sif, please-"

"More begging!" She laughed as the chair cracked onto the floor. "And you do it _very well_, but you simply have nothing that I want. Nothing to convince me with." Her words echoed his, _nothing_. _Nothing..._

Suddenly Thor walked into the room, his boots moving across the floor toward them. "Sif? Why were you laughing?" He walked passed the still form of Loki and approached Sif casually.

"Oh nothing, your little brother was trying his hand at bribery. I'm afraid it didn't go over very well," she smirked.

Thor scoffed, amused. "Stop calling him that; he's not my brother." He glanced toward Loki, but the trickster kept his face blank, staring straight ahead at nothing, head on the floor, curled in on himself. Thor looked back at Sif, shaking his head slightly at the mischief god. "How much time now?"

Sif once again raised something in her hand before it disappeared back into her armor. "Fifteen minutes."

"It's been over an hour now, Sif." He walked over to the center of the room, arms crossed over his chest.

She sighed. "You know how it shifts, I have no control over the thing," she crossed her arms as well, looking around. Thor smirked and shrugged. The warrioress cracked a smile and added, "So, I suppose we should begin?"

Thor scratched his beard, thinking. "Why are you asking me? You are in charge of that thing," he pointed in the general direction of Sif, then Loki.

Sif shook her head. "I just didn't want to interrupt if you were planning on _playing_ with someone else..." She smiled widely at Thor as he returned the grin with a wagging finger and a barely contained smile of his own.

"Just...begin already." His smile disappeared as he put his back to the other two and stared at the door boredly. Sif continued smiling and stood up, moving toward Loki.

The trickster jumped at her sudden arrival, but otherwise remained still. She grabbed Loki with one hand wrapped around his right wrist, then dragged him away from the bed and across the floor toward Thor. Loki wanted nothing more than to struggle, but his body simply refused. The cold air stung at his wet exposed skin and Loki refused to look down at his own body.

She suddenly pushed him flat on his back, then stood up. Thor took several steps back, away from the other two, eyeing them with arms crossed. Loki eyed Sif as well, confusion etched across his face. _What is she doing?_ She reached into a small pouch at her side, revealing an equally small green gem in-between two of her fingers. She then leaned down, one knee on the ground. Her upper body bent a little closer, Loki was going to try and move away but realized she was only trying to speak to him, her voice low.

"Now. If you be a good boy and don't move while I'm working then I won't have to ask your big brother to repeat a certain earlier performance, yes?" She stared Loki in the eyes, face without a trace of humor. It unnerved Loki. "Answer, Loki." Thor had taken a step closer. The mischief god nodded fervently to Sif with fearful eyes. "Good boy." She straightened her back but remained on one knee beside him.

Thor lingered nearby, pacing slowly. He didn't seem nervous, _perhaps impatient?_ That much was obvious from the beginning, _but why?_ While staring at Thor, Loki hadn't noticed Sif, who was now doing something very strange. She still held the green gem with two fingers, which now appeared to be glowing, and had begun tracing small shapes down Loki's right arm. He wondered what she could be doing as she stepped over him and began doing the same to his other arm. Other than that, nothing was happening. Loki felt nothing except the pressure of the stone against his leather-covered arms. She moved again, toward his legs this time. He felt uncomfortable for a moment when she traced more shapes into his upper thigh- exposed as it was -but his embarrassment fell when she simply followed the same pattern that she did with his arms, making shapes all the way down to his ankle. She repeated with the other leg.

"Are you finished yet-" Thor's voice broke the air; both Loki and Sif jumped.

"_Shhh_," Sif protested without looking up. Thor sighed but remained silent. Next, she stood up and walked to Loki's side again. This time she traced shapes into his chest, then onto his forehead. Then she leaned down and kissed Loki's lips.

"What are you doing?" Thor whispered, as if she would shush him again. Loki didn't know what to do so he simply lay quietly. He felt her lips vibrating with suppressed laughter.

"What, Thor," she lifted her head, a wide grin plastered across her face, "are you jealous?" Loki stared at her, confused, as Thor just scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Or don't I get to play with your toys?"

"I am losing patience, Sif. Continue, please..." he motioned with an annoyed hand, then shook his head and chuckled slightly to himself, mumbling something about 'ridiculous harlot' under his breath.

Sif continued staring after him for a moment as Thor turned his back to them, then looked down at Loki. "Sorry about that, little god, but I wasn't leaving without the bragging rights to having kissed a prince."

Thor jerked around. "That's your reason?" Thor scoffed. "You kissed him because he's a prince?"

Sif smiled at Loki and winked, then to Thor said, "Says the man who _violated_ said prince..." Sif sighed, feigning disappointment, "...your own _brother_." She smiled mockingly at Thor. There was silence for a moment, as if Thor were thinking, then he chuckled with a wide grin and pointed a finger at the goddess.

"I thought I told you to stop calling him that. And, well, that was just a bit of fun, really." Loki tensed at those words, they seemed familiar, somehow. _And if she wished to kiss a prince, why not simply kiss Thor? What is wrong with these two?_ The questions all seemed so ridiculous now, pointless. Why should he ask anything anymore. His brother was not his brother, and it seemed both he and Sif had lost their minds.

Sif's voice broke through his thoughts. "Hey, princeling?" Her voice was playful and casual, "Now there's just _one_ more thing you must do for us." Her gaze bore down into the trickster, he felt his insides tightening, he couldn't find his words. The only thing he wanted to do was shrink away and hide, get away from the confusion and pain. She was still waiting, however, and Loki managed to give her a questioning look hoping that would suffice. She smiled widely, at what he wasn't certain. "Please cast just one spell."

Loki stared at her, brows furrowed. "What?" he croaked out.

"You heard me, cast a spell." She lifted one eyebrow, Thor was drawing near. Loki swallowed nervously.

"I...but...the collar..." His hand reached up slowly, but Thor's boot caught it and pushed it slowly back down to Loki's side. He shivered at the contact, brief thought it was. He stared up at Sif, "...Why do you wish me to-" Two hands suddenly slapped down on the floor flanking Loki's head as Sif leaned over him, her long blonde ponytail tickling his face. He would have jerked away if there were anywhere to go.

"Do it _now_, or _dear big brother_ will be more than willing to play with you a second time, _Loki_..." Her voice was silky smooth, the contrast to her words sent a small panic through Loki, the air too stifling, the choices non-existent.

He felt a warm hand on his chest suddenly, holding down his harshly breathing chest. Sif's hands were still by his head. _N__o no no..._ he suddenly realized they were _Thor's hands_. Loki couldn't control his breathing suddenly, his chest constricting and his heart felt like it would burst through his ribcage. His mind was spinning, he felt dizzy and shaky. Nothing made sense, no one to help, no one to care about him, come for him. _No more Thor...no more brother._ His instincts suddenly took hold, and he reached out to his magic grabbing the first thing that came to mind- a simple fire spell -as he attempted to cast it into his open palm. The pain was immediate, ripping through his body. No fire came, however, as he lay helpless and gritting his teeth. Sif had backed away, and Thor as well, but Loki didn't notice- _couldn't _notice, his mind and body on fire. He screamed into the open air, screamed at nothing and everything.

But just as it had begun, the pain suddenly subsided, nothing but the pain in his throat and a blue light left behind. _Blue light?_ Loki ripped his eyes open. He panted heavily and couldn't move. He could still see, however, a blue light that hovered above him. It was an orb, small and beautiful, pure light. An arm suddenly grabbed his own, sliding him across the floor and away from the floating light. _Sif_, Loki observed. She didn't seem too surprised by the light as she stepped over him and joined Thor who stood next to it. Away from the glow, Loki suddenly noticed a faint glow coming from somewhere below his line of sight. Looking down, his breath caught as he saw his body. Fiery blue runes he didn't recognize burned brightly across his entire frame. _What is this-_ He suddenly remembered what Sif was doing. _Some kind of ritual?_ It wasn't like any magic he had ever seen. _And when did Sif learn to do magic?_

His mind was a flurry with questions so he didn't notice how the blue orb was growing with every moment that passed. Loki touched the glowing runes on his lifted hands, but he felt nothing. No heat, no magical energy, nothing. He briefly wondered if it was because of the collar, that it probably didn't just block _his_ magic, but also his perception of _others'._

The light was now blinding. Loki finally managed to look up, just as Thor met his confused gaze.

"Don't get into too much trouble, _little brother_." The smile that was wrong washed over Loki, just as the blue orb disappeared and the room was left in darkness. Loki looked around, but saw no one standing there. Thor was gone, so was Sif. _Where..?_ But darkness was sweeping in, not a natural dark, but the dark of unconsciousness. Loki lay his head back, his exhaustion suddenly taking hold.

Somewhere near him he heard a knock on a door. A voice now echoed around him. _What...sound..._ Loki found himself drowsily wondering. He couldn't make out the words, although they were familiar and sent a cold shiver down his spine. Then finally, mercifully, he fell into the silent embrace of sleep.

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Thor was seeing something- something strange.

He had left the feasting hall despite his guests' and friends' insistence that he stay a while longer to drink with them, but he was worried for Loki. It had been nearly an hour and half since Loki had left, but Thor suspected he would still be awake. Loki was never one to sleep so early, and his brother's excuse of 'being tired' was clearly false, especially since he had awakened late this morning and done very little during the day. So Thor had approached his brother's room with a determined step. _H__e'll protest, of course, but he must stop this self-imposed isolation- _

There was a light. A blue light. It lingered under Loki's door. _Doing magic are we, brother, at this hour?_ Loki never followed any rules, though, and the thunder god smiled at the notion that Loki was returning to his old habits.

He knocked on the door. No response. He knocked again.

"I saw the light, brother, I know you are awake," Thor teased.

Nothing. Silence.

"Loki?" Thor knocked again, harder this time. "Brother? Are you alright?" He suddenly felt panicked, something wasn't right. His instincts went on high alert, he was going to knock again but instead tried the door handle. It didn't budge. "Loki, open this door! Loki!" No response. "Brother! Stand away from the door!" Thor stepped back a few paces then crashed threw the door, hoping Loki was not standing on the other side. The door nearly flew off its hinges, its edge smashing into the wall.

Thor's eyes immediately fell on his brother, lying on his back on the floor at the center of the dark room.

"Loki!" Thor ran to him, grabbing him up into his arms. "Brother, what's happened?"

There was no response. Thor hoped against all hope that his brother was still alive. He was cold...colder than usual. Thor sat down on his knees and supported Loki with one hand, then reached out his other hand, shaking, not wanting to feel for a pulse if there wasn't one there. "_Please..._" He whispered under his breath. He let out a relieved sigh and a choked sob as he felt the heartbeat, however faint it was. "Loki?" He stroked his brother's short black hair and settled him onto his lap, holding him tighter.

Thor didn't notice the blood, or the metal around his brother's neck, or the state of the room, or anything else. He only held his brother tighter and tighter, waiting for him to wake through tear-stained eyes.

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**A/N: Obviously there's something weird going on here, you'll see what in the next few chapters- you might be able to guess already, though. If Loki seems OOC that's because he is, at least compared to the _movies_. Since this is a pseudo-sequel, a lot's happened to him since the films and he's very different now.**

**I hope the rape scene didn't put you guys off but it's the catalyst that carries the whole beginning of the story. I must admit I cringed through it while re-reading to check for mistakes. Yikes. Evil!Thor creeps me out.**

**(For all my _Pray For Rain _readers- I'll continue working on that fic as well, but as I mentioned in my profile it's my "background" story, I only work on it when I get the urge to and only when it doesn't interfere with my other fics. As for the sequel to _Ex Nihilo_, I'm aiming to upload that one around Halloween, but we'll see how that works out.)  
**


	2. There Once Was a Brother

**A/N: Sorry for the delay, I actually meant to update this a lot sooner because of the cliffhanger but I've been super busy with life stuff recently. (I barely have time to even _read_ my favorite fan fics! Bleh. Need to tell real life to go away. ;D)**

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**- Chapter 2 -**

_**There Once Was A Brother...**_

Time seemed to pass slowly as Loki lay in his arms, breathing slowly. The darkness surrounded them, faint starlight lingered across the windows and into the room.

Thor didn't know what to do. A big part of him wanted to carry Loki to the healing room, to fix him, help him; but another part, the part that knew Loki so well, understood that Loki was afraid of being seen as weak again. His brother had always been seen that way by others, at least on some level, but after what had happened, after the Chitauri and then the Avenger's help afterward... Loki was determined now more than ever to prove his worth, his strength.

_He is breathing_, Thor thought, _he's not dead...not dead. Just asleep. He'll wake up soon, then I'll ask him what he wants._ Thor nodded his head to no one. He knew Loki would heal, or at least he should, so long as he was alive, breathing. His brother's magic would heal him quickly. _Yes. He will be fine soon enough. And then..._ He felt anger welling up inside him. Who would _dare_ harm a son of Odin? A prince in his own home? Thor gritted his teeth, old feelings of jumping to action without thinking, of crashing through doors and splintering wood and bone came rushing back to him. But no, he needed to stay calm. Wait for Loki to wake. _Yes, Loki...please wake..._

As if his brother had heard him, a small groan passed Loki's lips.

"Brother! Loki!" Thor shifted a little, but tried not to jostle the smaller god too much, fearing for any injuries. _Injuries..._ Thor berated himself for not checking earlier, _but would he want me to?_ Once again, Thor found himself honoring Loki's wishes. He had never liked being doted on, even by their mother. _Not that she ever paid any heed to his protests_. Thor smiled, yet still sadly.

A small glint met his eye suddenly. He let Loki's head slide back slightly, then reached a hand out when he observed the strange metal around his neck. _What is this?_

"Loki," he whispered worriedly. _Who did this?_ The metal was cold to the touch despite having been on Loki's neck for some time. Thor examined it carefully with both hands, balancing Loki on his knees to support him. It was a strange metal, gold and silver in the light, and there was a small hole that appeared to be made for a- Thor swallowed. _It's a collar._ He was suddenly angry again. He clenched his fists, his blood rising to his head.

"Thor..." Even the small half-whisper almost made Thor jump, his anger quickly fading. The thunderer wrapped his arms around Loki again, lifting him slightly.

"Loki, brother... I am here. Please, speak to me," his voice cracked, tears threatening to flow again. "Brother?" Loki's eyes were moving behind closed lids. Then slowly, as if painfully, they opened a crack.

Thor softly ran his fingers through Loki's messy hair whispering to him to wake, but Loki didn't seem to notice his presence. The mischief god was in a daze, mumbling incoherent words between alternately closed and drowsily opened eyes.

Loki was saying something. Thor couldn't make out the words so he leaned in closer, his ear near Loki's face. He made out a 'no' and a 'please' before he fell silent again. _Loki...What has happened to you._ His little brother still seemed half-asleep, as though he were caught between a dream and reality. Loki suddenly shook his head and his face scrunched up as if in pain. He seemed to finally find his voice, although it was still a whisper.

"Brother...why..?" the trickster whispered. His eyes drooped but remained open, as if thinking, concentrating, worried. "No no no..." He shut his eyes, but this time it seemed deliberate.

"Loki, I am here. Please wake up." Loki's eyes suddenly opened, as if the sound of Thor's voice had shot through him. "Loki!" Thor began, "What has happened? Brother..?" His voice trailed off, the look in Loki's eyes silencing him. _His eyes._ Thor suddenly didn't know what to do, his brother's eyes boring into him with a fear he had not seen in a long time. _A long time... Since he first came back from the Chitauri_. Thor felt his jaw open, hanging uselessly on his numbing face. _Why do you look at me so?_ Loki's eyes widened even further, as if afraid Thor would speak. Now the younger was trembling, his entire body shaking under Thor's grasp.

Thor finally forced words out, unsure what to say, "Loki... What has happened?" He found himself repeating, new words lost in his brother's piercing green orbs.

Thor's hand moved reflexively to his brother's face to comfort him, just as a sharp keening noise broke out from Loki's throat. Then suddenly, Loki jerked out of Thor's arms and scrambled on hands and knees like a frightened animal to a far corner. Thor had never seen Loki move so fast. The smaller god crouched in the corner, his knees folded up to his chest, his arms burying his head, grasping at his dark hair.

"No no no no...not again, no no no..." His terrified words floated towards Thor, who remained where he sat, perplexed.

"Brother?" Thor's voice only served to make Loki flinch.

"Please, please, no no no. Not brother, not anymore, you're not, you're not..." He hid his head further into his arms, as if trying to hide away from the world, sink deeper into the corner.

Thor slowly stood up and walked toward Loki, his steps careful as though approaching a wild animal.

"Loki, no one will harm you. Please tell me what has happened. Do you know who I am? I am Thor, your broth-" Loki cut him off.

"No!" He sobbed into his arms, "Not my brother... Not anymore... No more, no more. No one to help me." He continued sobbing and had started rocking as he grasped his own hair tighter. _What can I do? _Thor thought. _After all that has happened after the Chitauri- He has been doing so well, why has he changed back? Had he truly found peace, or was it a ruse? A dream? _He shook his head slightly. _Or perhaps you convinced yourself of it, Thor Odinson. Perhaps your fragile brother only wished to please you. Perhaps he only _pretended_ to get better, to please his older brother? To repay your kindness the only way he knew how..._ He regretted the moment he thought it: _to lie..._

Thor was only a few steps away from Loki when the mischief god glanced up warily, a terrified cry escaping his lips.

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_No no, stay back!_ Loki's mind shouted. He wanted to scream and get away. Run to the door, run to the window, anywhere, as long as it was away from _Thor_. Why was his panic catching up to him now? He wondered. A fleeting thought entered his mind, _why didn't you fight back more then? You might have been able to do something..._ The logical part of his mind knew it wasn't true; there was nothing more he could have done. He was caught off guard, and when he finally realized the danger he was in, it was too late. But now... Now he knew. _If only I could get this damned collar off!_ He wondered if he could bolt for the door, find some guards, _anyone_. But he was hurt and Thor was faster, and..._ running would probably make him angry_.

His mind was too panicked to notice that Sif was nowhere to be found, or that Thor was now wearing different clothes, or that Thor was now speaking. He had forgotten the blue orb, and the runes that had painlessly burned across his skin. His instincts drove him, and right now, escaping the predator before him was all he could think about.

His not-brother was so near, _too close! _Two voices argued in the back of his mind: _Run! _one said, the instinctual half. _No! Negotiate! _the logical part said. But his mind made his decision for him as he spoke.

"Thor...please..." He sobbed and stared at the floor beneath Thor, "_Please_ don't. Not again, I beg you..." Loki continued staring at the floor but sensed a shift in Thor's facial expression. But he couldn't bring himself to look in the thunderer's eyes.

"Brother. I..." Thor's voice wavered, as if he were thinking, then finally said, "Why do you say these things, what has happened? Who did this to you?" _Why does he call me 'brother' now?_ Loki thought. '_To mock you'_, a voice whispered back._ 'To sicken you further with familial sentiment' _it continued,_ 'to make you writhe when he does it again.' _Loki shook his head furiously, _get out of my head! _

"Stop!" He heard is own voice scream, his eyes tightly shut. Thor said nothing, frozen, as though Loki's words were meant for him. _Why does he listen to me, then?_

"Brother, please speak. I will not hurt you."

_Not hurt me?_ Loki wanted to laugh but all that came out was a whimper. He opened his eyes and stared at Thor's boots. They were still near but were settled several steps away. Loki rested his hands on his knees gingerly, trying to stop the shaking.

Thor's voice began again, "_Please_, Loki, tell me who did this to you." _He asks please? But why? Why would he ask me such foolish questions?_ Somehow, Loki still found his voice answering.

"But Thor..." He swallowed hard, "...it was you."

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Thor found himself backing away, jaw dropped open, disbelieving. His mind reeled, confusion painted across his face. He had continued walking backwards until he slipped on something. _What?_ He looked down. Blood. How had he not noticed earlier? The trail led away, away toward the bed and- Thor froze. His breath caught in the vice-grip that was now his ribcage. He couldn't find his heartbeat, his entire body suddenly felt like dead weight. _No..._ The blood trailed across the floor, then up the bed, mingled with- He couldn't look. He ripped his gaze away, toward his still cowering brother. _This isn't possible, how could... I didn't... could not have..._ He stared at Loki's shaking form.

"What did you say?" Thor's throat was dry, his words were flat, they didn't echo across the walls, fake against the marble.

Loki slowly gazed up at him, the terrified eyes only meeting his for a moment, then returning to the floor. "Y-you... you hurt me." His small form tried to hide further within itself, as if expecting retaliation. Thor didn't move, his body suddenly felt like stone.

"How did I hurt you?" _Am I speaking? _Thor wondered. It was as if he wasn't in control of his own voice, as though something were forcing his words out. He still couldn't move. He just stared straight ahead, as if his sight went straight through the trembling form of his brother.

Loki seemed to hesitate, confusion on his face. "You..." He looked around, still confused, "...you..." The words seemed to catch in the trickster's throat, as though strangled by his crippling fear. His gaze lingered away from the spot on the floor, then moved slowly, across the floor, then onto the bed.

Thor couldn't help but follow it. Follow his brother's tired eyes to the destroyed bed. Sheets were ripped to shreds and there was blood, blood everywhere, and- Thor finally regained control of his eyes, he shut them as tightly as he could, not wanting to look anymore. Not wanting it to be true. But he _had _to know, had to make sure so he wouldn't have to live with a simple _suspicion_, to ensure that he could help Loki properly, to...to... He didn't care anymore, he just had to know what had happened here, had to _hear it_ from his own brother's lips.

"Loki," Thor choked out, "tell me what happened to you." He couldn't back down now, the words already out.

Loki was now looking at him, nervous and fearful, but steady. He swallowed once, then answered. "You raped me, Thor." Before he had uttered his name Thor was already running to the washroom.

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He could hear his once-brother vomiting in the washroom, but he couldn't believe it. _Why?_ The question had repeated itself over and over since he had woken up.

When Thor and Sif had first appeared, they weren't themselves, they were- _different_. And now? Now Thor had changed again. But where was Sif? Had she returned to the festivities? Did she return to gloat over how pathetic the second prince was to the Warriors Three? _And why is Thor still here?_ He had thought it was to hurt him again, but his behavior said something else. _Does he suddenly feel remorse for what he has done? _Loki didn't know what to do with his confusion, nothing made sense anymore. He was suddenly struck by the idea that none of it had actually happened. That Thor was emptying his stomach in the other room because nothing of the sort had occurred, that he was sickened that Loki would even think it. But the thought quickly faded as Loki gazed across the floor and bed. _Yes. It had happened..._ The evidence was everywhere. And his body, he still hurt. His hope faded. _Hurt..._ Loki grit his teeth, suddenly fully aware of his body, the pain that coursed through it as though his mind had decided to forget for a while. He slowly slid and plopped down on his side, still gripping his knees.

Thor finally emerged from the washroom, his face downcast and pained. Loki quickly glanced away, toward the floor, a nervous habit from his time with the Chitauri. _He is different, though_. He couldn't deny it.

The thunderer's strangely quieted but firm voice drifted toward him. "Brother, I..." Thor stopped near the desk that Sif had been sitting in, "...I do not know what has happened, but," he finally lifted his tear-streaked face, "I give you my word, I have _never_ hurt you in such a way, and I never will." His voice was strained, his face full of hurt and confusion. _Where was that hurt when you were violating me? Where was that sorrowed face when I screamed for you to stop?_ But Loki shook the thoughts away, it was time to get something back- maybe not his power, he gave up on that a long time ago, but maybe he could regain a grip on his sanity. He needed answers. Loki shook his head, still staring at the floor.

"But...it was you," Loki croaked out. Thor had taken a step closer but stopped when the smaller god tensed.

"Loki, I do not know why, or how..." The thunderer shook his head once. "I do not understand. I was with everyone in the celebration hall until I came here and found you...unconscious." He shifted his weight uncomfortably, still confused.

Loki suddenly felt angry as he lashed out. "_Thor_, it was _you_!" He felt his body tense up as he shrank back further into himself, into the cold corner. Thor seemed taken aback, mouth open for a moment, then clamped shut.

A few silent moments passed before Thor spoke again. "I-I do not know what to say, brother, I-"

"I am not your _brother_," Loki spat. He could sense the thunder god's hurt from across the room.

"Loki...I thought we had moved beyond that-" But he caught his words before Loki did. Loki would have scoffed if his body would have allowed it.

"_'Beyond that'?_ If this is what lay beyond that then I wish I had never left there," Loki shifted his tired eyes downward.

"Loki, what must I do to convince you that I did not do this? I am as confused as y-"

"What could you possibly know about what I am thinking?!" Loki seethed. "D-Did you think that you could bring me back here, back to _your_ home, so that you could do whatever you pleased with me? The pathetic and _weak_ runt of a frost giant would be no match for the greatness of the thunder god, Thor _Odinson_." He had somehow lifted himself up on shaky legs, his back sliding up the wall, his breath coming in short strained gasps. His lungs hurt, his body protested his defiant stand.

Thor's mouth was agape, his face utterly exasperated as though he couldn't find words to speak. A long moment passed in silence. Neither god moved, Loki was still half-way up the wall, his form shaking violently from the strain. He wanted to sink back down, to crawl away and hide until everything and everyone was gone, until only he was left, his sorrow spent and shattered, long gone with the tides of time.

Thor spoke first.

"Loki... may I take you to the healing room?" His voice was quite, almost eerie to the trickster, so accustomed to Thor's voice booming through his ears. Loki only shook his head, not wanting others to see his state. The thunder god didn't seem disappointed, as though he had expected the answer.

"You cannot make this right, Thor, there is nothing, no test you can pass to convince me that _that was not you_." Thor's eyes lit up suddenly, his face still sorrowful, but it was obvious that something had occurred to him.

"Loki..." The golden son's voice was different, hopeful, suddenly. Loki still couldn't meet the thunderous blue eyes. "Loki, there _is _a test! A test that will prove that it was not I!" Now Loki's eyes shot to his not-brother's. _What? _He didn't know what Thor could mean, but the sudden hope in his eyes pained Loki to his core. _And what if you fail it?_

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For a brief moment Thor wondered if he wasn't doing this for his own benefit. To have _his_ Loki back, the one that didn't push away from an embrace, that allowed Thor into his innermost thoughts and didn't shy away from sentiment as he once had. The tortured brother that had emerged from the clutches of the Chitauri had scared Thor more than anything, and the next one, the one that the Avengers had nursed back to health filled Thor with a joy he hadn't known in so long. But this Loki..._what was he?_ Was everything for naught? Would he ever trust Thor again? The moment Loki had mentioned a 'test', the idea sprang into his mind. But now Loki was speaking again.

"What test?" The trickster's eyes were suddenly on Thor, suspicious but vaguely curious. Thor knew he would at least have to convince Loki to trust him again, if only for now. It was true, he realized, he _did_ want his brother back the way he was, but he also knew Loki needed it as well. The pain stretched through his thin form, caused him to wince and jerk at Thor's every word, at his own words. _Yes, he needs to learn the truth._

Thor moved a few determined steps toward him, but the trickster whimpered and quickly slid back into the corner with bowed head. But the thunder god's mind was set.

"Loki, we must go to Midgard."

Loki looked curiously at him. "Midgard?" Thor nodded. "Why?" he eyed Thor suspiciously.

"I have no time to explain, whatever has happened here..." Thor tried to find the right words to convince his brother. "I know you do not believe me, but perhaps you will believe the Avengers." Loki looked down again, thinking.

"The Avengers..." His words trailed off as he rested his hands on his knees, considering. Thor wanted to be near him, to _explain_, but he thought it would be best to show him instead, to leave now and prove once and for all that this was a lie, that his brother hadn't been hurt by him. That it was someone else- a shapeshifter, dark magic, something.

"Loki..." The mischief god's eyes glanced up for a moment, then shot back down.

"What."

Thor hesitated, "Would you like to..." he paused a moment, "...clean up first?" Loki glared at him suddenly, but said nothing further as he looked over his own blood-covered hands. Loki winced as a pained look crossed his face. Thor thought he was in pain at first, but soon realized it was a look of embarrassment. "Loki," Thor began, "would you like me to help you-"

"No!" His outburst startled the both of them, Loki shrunk down again and looked around nervously, avoiding Thor's gaze. And in a much quieter voice, "I- I can do it myself."

Thor nodded reluctantly.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Loki _did_ need help, but he wasn't about to allow Thor to touch him. He gritted his teeth and stumbled on unsteady legs toward the washroom. He could _feel_ Thor watching him, could almost hear his winces and slight shifts every time Loki fell or bumped into something. In truth, Loki was in _immense_ pain, and he would have gladly crawled into the room, _if only Thor would leave!_ But he knew that was not about to happen. _Is it out of concern for me, or for himself? To not allow his victim to run screaming for help?_ The thought suddenly seemed absurd. _Why not do more then, if that were true? Why not kill me, or at least threaten me? Why offer to take me to the healing room? _

He would have shaken his head, but he only stumbled again, the washroom's door frame catching him. He heard Thor take a quick step behind him, but the thunderer did not approach. _If he is so concerned, why does he not help me?_ But the trickster knew the answer. Thor had changed as much as Loki had these last few years; his brother- _once-brother_ -was respecting Loki's wishes. The trickster sighed in confusion.

.

It had been painful. Everything Loki did in the washroom took an eternity and while he had already been tired before entering there, he now felt like a walking corpse. The clothes Thor had graciously thrown into the room seemed too tight, too suffocating, but Loki was glad of the coverings.

But now...now Loki was too tired to even move. He remained on his hands and knees before the door, breathing heavily. It suddenly occurred to him that it was taking every ounce of his strength to even _sit up_ like this- there was no way he was walking out of here. _Damn._ Thor was going to have to carry him. _No no no!_ His mind screamed. He didn't want Thor anywhere near him, much less _touching_ him.

Loki shook his head furiously even though it rippled pain down his entire body. _Stop it, you pathetic worthless runt! _He made himself breathe. In, out, in, out. _If he were going to do something, he would have done it already! Control yourself!_

He clenched his teeth until his head hurt, but finally yelled out the door before he could stop himself, "Thor!" The familiar figure was in the doorway in an instant causing Loki to flinch back. Thor seemed to notice.

"Sorry, brother. Do you- what is it?"

Loki felt the blood leaving his face but pressed forward, choking the words out. "Thor." He wanted to run, hide somewhere. "I...I cannot stand." Loki couldn't even bring his head up to look at Thor's response.

"What would you like me to do?" His voice was gentle, calm. Somehow, it made it worse.

_Where's that boisterous oaf my brother used to be?_ Loki bit his tongue at the slip- _not my brother, no more_ -but didn't have time to berate himself for it.

Thor was leaning down, and now he was on his knees in front of him. "Loki," his voice was questioning, "what is that thing around your neck?" Loki's hand unconsciously shot to the metal, feeling its edges.

"It stops my magic," he replied flatly.

"Did the person who," Thor stopped for a moment. "Did he put this on you?"

Loki only nodded and continued staring at the floor. "Sif gave it to you- to...him..." _Perhaps Thor has forgotten what happened?_ That theory seemed ludicrous as well, _how and why would that happen?_

"Sif?" Thor's surprised voice fell on him, "Loki, S-Sif? What? What do you mean? Sif gave this to him?" Loki finally looked up, confusion was etched across Thor's entire face.

"Yes," Loki was now confused at Thor's confusion. "She was here, too. Did I not mention-"

"No you did not." Thor scratched his head and ran his fingers through his hair, thinking. He stood up and continued, "But...Sif was there with me, she was talking and laughing and drinking with everyone else..." Thor's voice trailed off. Loki's gaze drifted back to the floor as he stared at Thor's shifty boots. "How could she have...and _why_? Then someone has stolen_ her_ face as well."

"Thor...it doesn't matter." Loki's voice was quiet, barely above a whisper. He suddenly felt the urge to cry again. _Nothing is right anymore..._

The thunder god's voice filled the room, suddenly back to himself. "Loki, perhaps Stark will be able to remove the collar as well. Our instruments may be powerful, but they can be crude-"

"And if it is enchanted?" Loki couldn't keep his weight up anymore, he slid down to a more comfortable position on his elbows with his legs to the side. "The humans have no tools against something like that." Loki felt something stir inside of him suddenly; he realized he wasn't healing because of the collar. _I don't care anymore! I hate this floor! I hate your damned boots always walking in front of me! I just want this to be over!_

Loki's breathing was harsh, labored. His mind was swimming. "Just get me off this damned floor, Thor!"

Thor did nothing for a moment, his boots stayed where they were. "A-Are you certain?" he stammered and leaned down next to Loki.

"Please," Loki inhaled deeply, frustrated, "just do it now." He was determined, his frame rigid, but his mind and body screamed when Thor slid one arm under his legs and the other around his back. _No! Stop! _He wanted to shout, scream, scramble away, tear at Thor's face, rip his blood-red cape, bite, jump out of his arms, _anything!_ But instead he only whimpered, his arms were limp across his own chest, curled in and useless. He couldn't even find the strength- physical or otherwise -to protest. His eyes were clenched so tight his entire face hurt. He tried to shrink back, into himself, but there was only Thor, his body suddenly everywhere- next to him, under him, his breath too close, his armor cold against his left side. _No no no no..._

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Thor didn't know what to do. Loki was trembling furiously in his arms, his face paler than usual, a picture of pure terror, begging him to stop. _What should I do?_

"Loki, would you like me to put you down?" he tried softly, but his voice only made Loki flinch. Even so, the smaller god did not answer, his eyes still tightly closed. Thor sighed internally, still uncertain what to do, and walked out of the washroom. He looked over to Loki's balcony, the stars bright across the horizon, the rainbow bridge glittering in the distance. _I will need the Tesseract to return to Midgard... _The Tesseract was in the vault room.

.

It may have been a better idea to leave Loki in his room while Thor retrieved the cube, but Thor feared that whoever Loki's attackers were might return. He was also aware that once put down, Loki might not allowed Thor to pick him up again.

The corridors, even at this time of night, were usually guarded by the occasional patrol, but the darkened halls were strangely quiet. Loki still trembled slightly, and his eyes were still closed, but he seemed to calm down somewhat when they left the room. _Where are the guards? _Thor wondered.

After passing through dozens of corridors and passing dozens more doors, Thor finally encountered a single guard, who appeared to be off duty and drunk. The guard, upon seeing Thor, tried to straighten himself against a wall, unsuccessfully.

"Y-Your highness," he slurred.

"Where are the other guards?" Thor found his own voice angry for some reason. "Why are there no patrols in the royal wing?" The guard suddenly noticed Thor's bundle, then shook his head as if he thought he was looking at an illusion.

"But...my prince, you ordered them away, you," he hiccupped, "said...something." The guard thought for a moment, a finger up. "I believe you said we were being replaced for the night...Do you not remember, my lord?" The guard tried to keep his balance, but fell back onto the wall, drowsy, his eyelids drooping.

_What? I never ordered..._ It suddenly occurred to him: _so no one would hear..._ He grit his teeth angrily, leaving the guard and continued down toward his father's vault.

.

The guards outside the vault had not protested, in fact, they barely glanced Thor's way until they noticed Loki in Thor's arms. One had offered assistance, but Thor had only replied with a firm 'As you were' then continued into the vault to retrieve the Tesseract. It was not a big issue, Thor frequently visited Earth, visiting Jane and the Avengers, and his taking of the Tesseract was a common sight. Even so, on the way out, he told one of the guards, the same one who offered help, to tell their parents that the two princes were visiting Midgard and would return when they had time. The guard nodded and said nothing in return, trusting his prince and future king.

Loki remained quiet the entire time, his eyes shut, his expression closed-off. Thor began to wonder if he was even awake.

Something suddenly occurred to Thor as he walked the stairs leading away from the vault.

"Loki?" His brother's eyes shut tighter. _Not asleep, then._ "Many people may see you if I am to walk to the Bifrost..." Loki's brows furrowed. His jaw was clenched. Thor thought for a moment, then an idea popped into his head. "I could fly us with Mjolnir. It would be faster and no one would see us."

Loki's eyes opened.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"And how are you to carry me if one hand grips Mjolnir?" Loki didn't look at Thor, his gaze remained low, staring at nothing.

Thor sighed. "Brother, if you would but allow me to take you to the healing room-"

"No!" Loki began struggling.

"Alright! Alright! Brother!" Thor seemed ready to release him but Loki ceased his movement immediately, closing his eyes once more.

_No healing rooms_, Loki thought. _They'll see me, mock me. Too many questions. No more! No more humiliation, no more laughter at my expense._ _I'll jump off the Bifrost again before I endure anymore!_ He crossed his arms, the only show of defiance he could muster, but it didn't stop his bottom lip from quivering slightly.

Thor was speaking again. "Then if you are so determined for no one to see us, then you must allow me to fly us to the bridge."

"And, once again, how do you plan on doing that?" Loki opened his eyes and risked a glance at Thor's face, his expression thoughtful.

"I will carry you with one arm, and Mjolnir I will hold in the other, as we always have, brother." He spoke as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

_Not your brother..._

.

They reached an open courtyard nearby, the night air seeping into his leathers. The stars sung overhead, danced and mingled with the colors of nebulae scattered throughout the nine realms. Several crickets chirped nearby, not a single artificial light could be seen. Loki heard Thor inhale a deep breath, and he even found himself relaxing a little. _To Earth, then; at least I know I will be safe with the other Avengers, whatever this 'test' reveals._

Thor dropped Loki's legs carefully, setting his feet on the stony ground. He let go of his upper body slightly before they both realized he could not stand on his own. Not wasting time, Thor unhooked Mjolnir from his belt before positioning Loki so he could wrap an arm around him from behind and across his chest, under the trickster's arms so he couldn't lose his grip. Loki suddenly felt panic at the position, his mind racing, his heart pounding furiously in his chest.

"No no no, stop! I don't like this!" he cried.

"What's wrong?" Thor asked with concern. "I have always held you like this when we flew with Mjolnir, although it has been many years..." Loki's body refused to move, to struggle; he couldn't control his breathing. _When was that? _His memories were hazy. He was paralyzed, the feel of Thor behind him sending his mind reeling. _'Maybe you can scream for me...'_ The memory flew into his mind, _no stop!_ Loki suddenly wrenched himself out of Thor's grip, just as he heard his knee crack on the ground. His hands caught the rest of his fall, but Thor was already near him again, his hands around his waist, steadying him.

Loki shook his head, begging, shaking, tears already streaming down his face, "Please don't touch me, Thor..." Thor's hands were gone so fast he wondered if they were ever there.

"Loki...I am sorry, I..."

_Control yourself, Silvertongue,_ Loki scolded himself. _He was only helping!_ one voice cried, _Oh, really? Are you certain?_ the other voice countered.

"Just," Loki began, "help me up again." Thor seemed taken aback for a moment, but obliged with two wary hands on Loki's shaky arms. After some effort, with Loki's damaged body and Thor's hesitation at every turn, the trickster god was finally standing, with a steadying thunderer's hand under his arm. Thor seemed at a loss as to what to do. _This cannot be the same man, _Loki's thoughts started up again, _he's afraid to even touch me_._ Did someone really steal my brother's face? His body, his skin?_

Loki suddenly lunged at Thor, hugging him around the neck, his face turned away.

"Loki, what are you-" Thor said in surprise.

"We will fly like this, just..._hurry_ and get this over with." _Get it over, get it over, get it over! _Thor wrapped one strong arm around Loki's waist and held him tight. The smaller god cringed and couldn't help a small whimper, but he told himself it was because of his injuries.

.

The flight had not been comfortable and Heimdall had seen Loki; there was really no avoiding it. _He sees everything, you fool, what does it matter?_ Thor had somehow had his wits about him and asked about the attack on his brother, but Heimdall said that he saw nothing; only a strange blue haze where Loki should have been. Heimdall knew Loki could hide himself from his sight, thus he had not believed it a cause for alarm. The trickster had wanted to lash out, to scream at him that he had done nothing of the sort, but his own mind told him it wasn't the gatekeeper's fault. There _was_ strange magic at work there...whatever it was.

And now, to Earth. Thor unhooked the Tesseract from somewhere behind him and the two activated it together. A familiar bright light engulfed them, and they were gone.

* * *

**A/N: I'll try to update this story regularly but since the chapters are so long the interval between will probably be long as I need to time to both write and proofread them.  
Again, sorry if Loki's OOC but he's really not the same guy from the films anymore. Kinda sad, lol. I guess you could say he's 'lost himself' and has been trying to get back to what he used to be. Poor bby.**

**Comments, questions? Love to hear from ya. ;)**


	3. What's Happened to Our Loki?

**A/N: I actually already had this written but I've been so busy I couldn't find the time to proofread it. If any of you looked at my profile, I put a note on there about my busyness of late- oh and btw, if I ever take a long time updating something, I might be too busy to write/post anything so I'll put a note on my profile. Otherwise, I'm probably being lazy and you can try nagging me in a PM or something. ;D**

**Now, to the actual a/n... Only thing to say is that this fic is AU from the events in _Iron Man 3_ and probably any other MCU films after _The Avengers_. **

* * *

**- Chapter 3 -**

_**What's Happened to Our Loki?**_

Tony Stark had been informed by his cool and always collected AI that a couple of Norse gods had appeared on his landing pad. He had been in the kitchen fixing a snack, but made his way to the landing site within minutes. Thor was walking toward him, his cape flowing in the afternoon sun, _always with the damn cape_, Tony thought, shaking his head as he approached.

"Hey big guy- woah..." He caught sight of the bundle in his arms. "Is that Loki?"

Thor stopped in front of him, his face saddened. "Son of Howard, may we enter?" Tony couldn't stop staring at Loki. The trickster's eyes were clenched shut, his expression- _is he...scared?_

Tony finally found his words, but continued staring at Loki. "Buddy," he said to Thor, "how many times do I have to tell you: you and Rudolf basically live here now. Stop asking." Thor walked carefully over to one of the couches. "And, uh, by the way, what the hell is going on?" The thunder god set Loki down as gently as he could. "And what the hell happened to him?" Thor straightened himself and took a few steps back. Tony glanced at Thor, then back at Loki. "He asleep?"

"No," came Thor's immediate response.

Tony cocked his head, confused. "Okay," he leaned down toward Loki, "Lokster..." he drawled playfully, "not happy to see uncle Tony?" Loki didn't respond. _Not even to the 'Lokster'? He hates that!_ He turned to Thor sharply. "What happened to him. I don't like it when my favorite trickster god doesn't even scold me for my awesome and wonderfully creative nicknames. You know I lay awake at night thinking those up-"

"Stark." Thor's voice was low but not threatening, and certainly not in the mood for Tony's antics.

Tony pursed his lips. "That bad, huh?" Thor nodded, his face solemn. "You want me to get Bruce? He's lookin' kinda pale-er than usual and," Tony leaned down, "bloody." He finally noticed several cuts on the mischief god's head, near his hairline. There were also bruises across his face. His eyes suddenly fell on the metal on Loki's neck. "And what's that?" Tony pointed toward it, straightening to look at Thor.

"A collar," came Thor's unhelpful response.

"Yeah, I can see that, oh mighty thunderer, why's he wearing it?" Thor looked down, shaking his head. _Well. He's uncharacteristically quiet. I'm creeped out_. "Okay. Gotta know. Tell me what's going on or I'm gonna have to revoke your license to live here."

The blonde sighed and looked at Tony. "I am...uncertain Loki would wish me to tell you."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Uhh, okay. And if he's not sleeping, why doesn't he, I dunno, wake up and tell me himself?" But the trickster remained unmoving, breathing steadily, eyes still shut.

"Stark, please. I require your help."

Tony perked up. "Oh? With what?" _Maybe I'll get some answers this way_, Tony thought.

Thor hesitated, shifting his weight. "Banner once told me of a way that one can see the building blocks of a person, that it is like a map, and that each person's is always different, unique." Tony was confused for a moment, having to decipher the god's strange manner of speaking. _Building blocks... _

The inventor snapped his fingers. "You're talking about DNA- genes, yeah?"

Thor's face brightened slightly, although not as blinding as it should be. "Yes! He told me that this...DNA is in every part of our bodies, in our skin, blood, even our hair."

Tony unconsciously scratched his head then crossed his arms. "Uh, yeah sure. Whatever. Why? You want me to test you guys' DNA or something? Because that would be really awesome-"

"Does every part of the body have this substance?" Thor moved a few steps closer, eager seriousness on his face.

"Sure. Pretty much."

"And you can compare this DNA to another's? To match them? See if they are the same person?"

Tony was surprised. "Wow. You're a lot smarter than you let on, big guy." Thor stared at him, waiting. "But yeah. If you got two samples from two different people, we can compare them against each other. Why?" Thor stood up straight, crossed his arms and nodded as though deep in thought. "And, uh, should we just leave him?" Thor looked at him. "We gonna leave Lokster here while he fake-sleeps? What if he fake-wakes? Is he," Tony leaned in, whispering, "back to his old self?" Thor furrowed his brows. "I mean, is he gonna freak out? Is he okay? Shouldn't you be around if that happens?"

Thor looked down at the floor. "He is...unwell. But _my_ presence will not help him." Thor's face hardened.

"What the hell does that mean? And since when? He was like a clingy baby monkey holding onto its hammer-wielding momma the last time he was here."

Thor seemed frustrated, shaking his head. "At any rate, I do not plan on leaving him here."

Tony tilted his head. "Okay, then. Off to the lab? Normally I'd let Brucie help you guys, but I've been _dying _to play with my new Stark toys that _don't _require any working knowledge of medicine-"

"Will you carry Loki?" Tony stared at Thor, confused.

"What. Why don't you carry him, that's what you were doing, you know, like-" he pointed, "-just now."

Thor rubbed a hand across his face and beard. "I do not have time to explain...Stark, please."

"Okay, okay," he held up a hand, "no more 'pleases,' you're weirding me out." Tony walked over to Loki and squatted down beside the couch. Loki still hadn't moved, his eyes remained closed. This close, Tony could now see clearer the numerous cuts and bruises on Loki's face and hands that he had not seen earlier. _What happened to you this time, buddy?_ Tony was about to ask Thor, but realized it would be a waste of breath. The thunder god seemed determined not to give any details. Still, Tony couldn't resist saying _something_, "Why do you guys always have to wear so much leather? Gotta be heavy, huh?" Tony place both hands on the couch, readying himself to carry the hurt god.

"Stark..."

"I mean, I get it, sorta: leather is so _badass_. But still, can't be easy to wear in summer," Tony knew he was rambling. He rambled when he was uncomfortable. "But now...at least he's less 'prince of pirates,'" he poked a finger at Loki's shoulder, "and more, 'prince of Ass-guard.'"

"Asgard," Thor corrected.

"That's what I said," Tony continued prodding Loki, but with three fingers this time.

Loki's voice made him jump. "Stop that, Stark, or I'm afraid you'll find yourself flying through yet another window." The trickster's eyes slowly opened.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Loki had felt panic rising in him when Thor had first taken flight on Asgard. The entire time he contemplated whether or not he should try leaping out of Thor's arms. _Would he catch me?_ he had found himself asking.

But Earth... on Earth he didn't want to feel panicked. He wanted to feel safe again, safe with his friends. So he told himself, spoke to himself. He occupied his mind, recited every spell he knew, tried to remember all the lessons from when he was growing up. Loki had a very good memory, and he had barely scratched the surface when Thor and Tony had begun talking.

Loki wanted nothing more than to greet Stark, or perhaps to scold him, to banter the way they always had before. But somehow it was easier. Easier to remain quiet, to gauge Thor's and Tony's responses. _Would Thor tell him what's happened?_ When he didn't, Loki wondered, _is that to respect my wishes? Or does he protect himself?_ It didn't matter, Loki realized, Thor would eventually have to tell the others if he was to explain why he was taking this 'test.' In truth, Loki minded it less if the Avengers knew what had happened, even if he would have preferred to keep it hidden. He was accustomed to his secrets, after all, but after staying with the Avengers for so long, after they had seen him crack and break and stumble around, his dignity shattered, a long-lost memory that everyone could barely remember, it didn't really matter if they found out about just _one_ more indignity, just one more thing that could be used against him; but that's not why it didn't matter. _No._ It didn't matter because he _knew_ they would never use it in that manner. They weren't the Aesir. They had proven that a long time ago.

So he had finally spoken. Finally broken his internal mantra, his efforts to ignore Thor.

Tony's face lit up. "Hey there, not-so-sleeping-beauty," Tony cracked a small smile. "The 'not so' being about the 'sleeping' part, not the 'beauty' part. We all know you're pretty."

"Shut up, Stark," Loki deadpanned.

"And now we're back to 'Stark'? What happened to 'Tony'?" The billionaire looked up at Thor. "You know how long it took me to get him to stop calling me 'Stark'?" Thor shook his head. "_You _still need to work on that, by the way," he said to Thor. Both gods rolled their eyes. Stark always had a way of lightening even the darkest moods. It was one of the reasons Loki opened up to him first- of course it was mostly out of annoyance the first few times.

"_Tony_," Loki now looked solemn, "can you carry me?" Normally the Iron Man would have made some clever jest at Loki's expense, but Loki's tone and injured nature were no doubt holding his tongue.

Stark winced for a second then smiled slightly. "Sure thing," he moved a hand carefully under Loki's legs. "I mean, you might be like a giant, but you're more like Jack Skellington than anything else." Loki and Thor had learned to take Tony's pop culture references in stride and ignored him. His other hand slid under Loki's back and he, finally, carefully lifted him. "But you're still heavy," Tony quipped. "Yet another reason to stop wearing all the leather, Lokster." Loki was going to pull on Tony's beard for the pet-name, but he didn't feel like it after they passed Thor.

.

The walk down to the labs was mostly quiet, except for Tony's constant rambling, which Loki promptly ignored the entire trip. Thor remained silent, although he nodded occasionally at Tony, as though he were listening. Loki couldn't tell if he really was, his mind refusing to even look at the thunder god's face. The elevator had been awkward, although Loki suspected only to him. Tony continued speaking the entire way down, somehow a strange comfort, and Thor had leaned against the opposite wall, staring at the door.

Loki half expected to find Bruce somewhere around, tinkering with one of his experiments, but the floor was empty, the instruments humming quietly.

"Where is Banner?" Thor was apparently wondering the same thing.

"What? Oh. He's just...somewhere," Tony answered. Thor looked at him quizzically. "What? I have like a million floors of R&D, he's all over the place. If you really wanna know, ask Jarvis." Tony led the three to a computer console near the back end of the lab. There were several other tools and machines nearby and Loki wondered which one would be used for this 'test.'

"So," Tony began, "are you gonna tell me what's going on, or am I gonna have to start asking lots of questions really fast until Loki hits me in the head with something and I keep going anyway?" He set the god down on an empty metal table behind him. The table wasn't long enough and Loki's feet hung off the edge. The cold of the metal at his back reminded him of his room's marble floor; he shivered.

Thor sighed. "Is this the instrument for the test?" He leaned back on a table across from Tony and Loki and pointed toward the computer beside Loki's table.

"Uh, sorta. Yup. A part of it anyway." He tapped on the display then turned back toward Thor. "So, dare I ask _whose_ DNA I'm supposed to be checking?"

Loki glanced at Thor, who shifted uncomfortably. "Mine," Thor finally said.

Tony nodded boredly, "Okay then, because that's not weird at all." He crossed his arms. "And what am I comparing it against?"

"This," Thor reached into a small pouch at his back, then retrieved an even smaller colored vial, the glass dark green. He handed it to Stark.

"Right," Tony grabbed it and immediately uncorked it and peered inside. For a moment he looked confused then yelled, "Oh my God!" He held it away from himself, arm straight out. "What the _hell_, Thor!"

The thunderer looked at him, brow furrowed. "You said it could be any part, yes?" Loki wondered what was in the vial, _my vial_, he now recognized. _Did Thor take that from my room? _

"I said- well, _yeah_, but," Tony's tongue flicked out in disgust, "_eww_. Seriously, guy, yuck and ew, and some warning next time would be nice." Tony's arm remained outstretched, as far away from himself as he could manage, only two fingers holding the vial. "What is this? Like a paternity test or something? Did you knock up some girl while you were drunk and now you're wondering if you're the father? Believe me, I've been there, just not sure you're going about this the right way, big guy." A pause. "Not to mention, I think I need a sample from the kid or something..."

Loki suddenly realized what was in the vial, Tony's rambling words fading into the background. _Thor...you... That's what he was doing while I was washing up?_ Loki quickly turned his head to stare at the wall, hoping Tony wouldn't look at him...or Thor.

Tony's voice drifted toward him, "Hey, you okay, Reindeer Games?" There was concern in his voice, Loki wanted to glare at him, but refused to turn.

"I'm fine," Loki lied to the wall, "my...injuries are bothering..." He couldn't finish the sentence, he couldn't even look at Tony but he still wondered what the other two were doing.

"Right," came Tony's voice. "And I'm really starting to wonder about that. Shouldn't you be healing?"

"Stark, please." Thor's voice.

"Alright, alright. It'll take a little time, and...I'll need some of your saliva, Thor." Loki heard movement, Tony's wheeled chair sliding, Thor's boots shifting, some confused noises from Thor. Several moments passed and Loki continued staring at the white wall. _Test... this is what Thor was speaking of? Using Midgardian technology to prove his innocence? Using..._that_? _He suddenly wanted to vomit again.

"This is seriously getting weirder and weirder," said Tony. "And just so you know, I would never be keeping my mouth shut unless you were my two favorite Norse gods."

"Do you know any others?" Thor questioned. Loki would have thought it a clever response, if Thor's tone wasn't serious.

"Um, no." Stark paused. "But, not the point...or something." The trickster felt a small smile tickle his lips. _Tony Stark will always be Tony Stark_. It was comforting.

"Why do you not allow Banner to do this test?" Thor asked. "He seems more suited to it."

"Because A, as I've already mentioned, I want to try out my new tech- tons of labs and hospitals are trying to get their hands on it...uh, nevermind -and two...or no, B, I'd rather not have to sit through Bruce's stammering and blushing while he's trying to uncomfortably do this test. And C- if there is a C -or three, whichever, I'm all curious now. I gotta know what's going on."

After that, both Thor and Tony were quiet, but Loki could hear Stark working, tapping and sliding across the floor as he worked.

.

"Congratulations!" Tony's voice crashed in on Loki, making him jump, too loud and too close all at once even though he was still several steps away. "Or, wait. Maybe not congratulations. I guess it depends on what the hell I'm doing this all for."

Thor was walking toward the other two, Loki managed to turn his head to stare at Stark, "What do you mean?" Thor asked. "Is the test done?"

"Right you are, Mr. L'Oreal, we've got a match. It is indeed yours." Loki suddenly jumped off, or rather fell off, the table startling the other two. "Loki?" said Tony's concerned voice.

_ It was a lie! All lies! _His body was moving, scrambling, backing away into the nearest corner. "Lies!" Loki screamed. "They were all lies! I _told_ you, you can't fix this, _Thor!_" _Should have known, I should have known! Not safe anymore! He's not my brother, no please... _The other two were moving toward him. _Stay away! No more! _

"Loki..." Tony's voice, questioning, worried. "What's going on...did I say something? What-" but Thor cut him off.

"Brother, please, I..." _No no no, not brother!_ "I do not understand...it is wrong! It must be! I did not... I swear to you, I..."

Loki couldn't breathe, he couldn't see. His eyes were too filled with tears, his legs were too close to his chest, his arms too cold and trembling. _Lies, lies, lies..._

"Thor, what the _hell _is going on?" Stark's voice was harsh now, angry even. "You'd better tell me right now, or I swear I'll bring the fucking _Hulk_ down here to ask instead."

"Stark, I-"

"No more delays! Tell me!"

There was a slight pause. "It is difficult to explain what I do not understand myself!" Thor bit back. The two men were standing so near, _too close_. _I don't want to be here..._

"He raped me," Loki's voice was so quiet, whispered, the other two took a moment before looking at him. _Did I just speak?_ Loki's mind reeled. _No, I didn't. You were just thinking it...never said anythi-_

"What. the. _hell_." Tony's voice. Loki couldn't read his tone, too lost in his own thoughts to register another's.

He shrunk further into himself, into the wall. _Hide me, help me- Why did I say anything? _It wasn't like him, just blurting things out- why did he have to speak?!

"It is not true!" Now Thor. _He's going to hurt you, kill you,_ came a voice, _he'll kill you both. This was all for fun, he knew he would fail the test. _Loki hid his face under his shaky arms, his sobs wracking his body.

Loki's strangled voice again came without his permission, "Please don't let him hurt me again." No one said anything, he wondered what Stark would do, what Thor would do. The silence ate at him.

Finally, Tony spoke, "This doesn't make any damn sense. How can- You wouldn't..."

_Does he not believe me? _The voice came back, _Of course he doesn't. You're the god of lies. Why should he believe you over the golden prince? The glorious god of thunder?_ Loki suddenly wished the others were here, the other Avengers. _Bruce would believe me...or Natasha. She's as good a liar as I am, she would know. And Steve, where's Steve? He couldn't _not_ believe me. There is no way the good captain would leave me here crying and begging._

Loki was suddenly aware of Tony crouched in front of him and he lifted his face to peek. The man of iron winced slightly when he saw Loki's red eyes and tear-stained face, the utter desperation and fear emanating from his entire frame. Loki moved before he knew what he was doing, grabbing Tony around the chest. "Please believe me!" he cried. "Don't leave me with him, I beg you, please!" Loki sobbed through his muffled words. He could feel the hum of Tony's arc reactor through his right ear, the sound soothing and a reminder of his friend. Tony seemed taken aback and Loki began to wonder what Thor was doing until he heard his voice.

"I do not know what to do, Loki...I..." Thor's voice was strained, shaky. _Is he crying?_ "I beg of _you_ to please believe _me_-"

The dry voice of Jarvis made all three men jump.

_"I am sorry to interrupt, sirs, but I have discovered a variation in the samples given by Mr. Odinson."_

"What the hell, Jarvis? You trying to give us all heart attacks?" Tony shook his head. "What do you mean? I already analyzed the samples, they're a match."

_"With all due respect, sir, the equipment is designed for more than simple genetic tests; I ran further tests due to Mr. Odinson's adamant objections."_

"And?"

_"While they are a match, there is a slight phase variance between the samples."_

"What does that mean?" came Thor's desperate question.

Tony shushed him, "Yeah, what does that mean?"

_"Given the evidence, I can only surmise that the first sample came from a different Thor Odinson."_

"Just so you know," Tony said flatly, "that doesn't actually make any sense, J. You're not coming down with another bug are you? I just checked him last week..." The last part Tony mumbled to himself.

_"I do not believe so."_

"Okay then," Tony continued. "Please start making sense now, or I'm going in for a root canal this time."

_"I cross-referenced the phase variance I found with SHIELD's database; there is a precedent for this kind of anomaly."_

"SHIELD?" Tony frowned slightly. "You broke into _SHIELD's _files for this?"

_"Would you like me to refrain from doing so in the future, sir?"_

"No, no. Initiative, I like it." He smiled down at Loki, who had leaned back a little, waiting for Jarvis to continue. "So what precedent?"

_"Roughly two years ago, SHIELD encountered a man who shared the same appearance and was a DNA match with one of their operatives."_

"Okay, who?

_"I do not have that information, sir. SHIELD has recently upgraded their systems, I was only able to retrieve parts of the file that required a lower level of clearance."_

"Well, whatever, why did he share his DNA?"

_"SHIELD surmised, after extensive questioning, that he had arrived through a tear in the universe, an-"_

"-An alternate reality!" Tony yelled to the ceiling, Loki jumped back a little.

Jarvis paused for a moment. _"So it would seem."_ Loki was certain he heard annoyance in the voice.

Loki backed away even more, then stared at Tony's arc reactor. "Stark? I...do not understand."

"Nor do I," said Thor.

Stark stood up, Loki didn't protest, but sank back into the corner. He was too curious to cower, however. _What is happening? What is Jarvis saying?_ But Tony was talking again.

"It's not you," he pointed a finger at Thor. "I mean, it is, but it's _not_." He beamed. _What are you smiling about?_ "There's this idea, a theory...or I guess it's more than a theory now. But anyway, it says that there are all these alternate realities out there. Parallel to our own, all with different histories and people and where everything is different, but some things are the same." Both gods looked as though he were speaking another language.

Loki was the first to speak from his corner, "Some things..."

"Yeah, like, say...a brother that looks the same but who is in fact evil." Tony raised his hands, as if that would add to the explanation.

"I still do not understand," came Thor's response.

"Look," Tony began, "let me ask you this: what did you do this morning?"

"What?" Thor furrowed his brow.

"Just...humor me."

"Very well," Thor frowned a moment, then answered. "I woke up, dressed, then visited my mother-"

"Okay, there," Tony interrupted, pointing. "Imagine for a second that you...didn't visit your mother. That you decided to, say, go eat breakfast instead."

"But Stark, I _did_ visit my mother."

"Exactly. _You_ visited her. What if there were another _you _created in that instance. And what if that _other_ you decided to eat breakfast instead. Imagine that that simple decision created a second you, somewhere else. Like a...duplicate."

Thor still seemed confused. "In this...'alternate reality'?" he asked.

"Yup."

"Then _that _me would have done things differently than I..." Thor nodded slowly.

Tony beamed. "_Exactly_. Now do you get it?"

"Perhaps...But," Thor leaned on the same table he had earlier, "how did this _other_ me get here?" Loki watched the two, already understanding himself, but still not certain if he believed it. It _did_ absolve Thor- or at least _this_ Thor -of the crime, but the implications gnawed at him. _Who is to blame if it is true? Can this other Thor return? And even if it is true that it was not my brother, I will never be able to forget..._

"I don't know," Tony began. "But if SHIELD knows that something like this can even happen, you can bet they wouldn't just leave it alone- especially if these people _look_ like us and can pass for us. Serious security breach, you know." Thor nodded but didn't seem to be listening. His eyes were fixed on his brother. Loki shrunk back, his eyes downcast; Thor still made him nervous. It didn't matter if it was true or not. _But he's done nothing. He saved me from the Chitauri. Helped me when I needed it most. So why can I not even look at him?_ Whether he wanted it to or not, his mind grouped Thor with everything else that had ever hurt him.

"I am still not certain I understand, Stark," said Thor. "If this man is me...why would he..." Thor trailed off.

"...Why would he hurt me?" Loki finished for him.

Stark seemed surprised, as though they should already know. "Well, for starters, if this theory is true, then practically _every single decision_ you guys have made since the beginning of your ridiculously long lives would create a new you," Tony walked a few steps toward Thor. "Just think about it. In that amount of time, in these alternate realities, all sorts of things could have happened. Isn't it plausible that whatever made you who you are," he pointed at Thor, "and whatever made _you _who you are," he pointed at Loki, "could be _very _different by now, if only because of a few, or a lot, of different decisions? Everything in your lives could be different there. _You_ could be different there. In fact, _every little thing_ could be changed; I mean, you could travel there and feel like you were...Alice in Wonderland," he finished. Thor eyed Tony, confused. "Look, nevermind. But I think you get what I mean."

Thor nodded, "I...perhaps I do. Loki?" Loki jerked his head up, unsure what he should say. _What is there to say? Should I believe all of this? What if isn't true, what if Jarvis is wrong?_

"How can we be certain," Loki said cautiously, "that any of this is true? Does this..." Loki thought for a moment "...'phase variance' prove something definitively?"

Tony seemed to be considering it, "Well," he looked apologetically at Thor, "not at the moment. But! I will double and triple check it to be sure. I mean really Jarvis, in case you haven't noticed, is pretty darned smart- I did create him, after all. I doubt he's wrong." Loki nodded. "I'll check it, though, to be sure. Jarvis?"

_"Yes, sir. I will double and triple check the results. I have also already transferred the contents of the SHIELD files to your display."_

"Thank you, Jarvis," Tony intoned.

"In the meantime," Loki tried standing up, but thought better of it and slid back down, "perhaps you could try and remove this collar?"

Tony nodded. Thor remained where he was, lost in thought.

It only took a few moments, and several scans of the collar, for Tony to announce in a loud voice that the collar was not coming off. 'Sorry, buddy,' he had said. Apparently, it was an alloy of several metals: one called adamantium and the others even Tony couldn't identify. The billionaire had scratched his head, rubbed his beard, and then sighed. Those were never good signs, especially all together. There was no way to take it off without the key.

Loki was tired. Tired in his bones, tired in his mind. His blood felt dead, useless without his magic to sustain it. _Will I ever get it back?_ He didn't want to think about it. As usual Tony had spit out words faster than Sleipnir could run, trying to cheer up the other two, but Loki had had enough. He didn't feel like thinking, much less listening to someone else's thoughts, especially when that person was incapable of filtering himself.

The sun was just going down here, but on Asgard, it was the middle of the night. Sleep was calling. Thor had offered, albeit hesitantly, to carry Loki back to his room, but he remained quiet when Loki said nothing. Tony jumped up instead, claiming he needed a drink anyway, and Loki's room was on the way. It was kind of him, and Loki had accepted, but the situation was clearly uncomfortable for the three. Thor left first and the other two followed soon after.

.

_There were people outside. No, not people- monsters. They were oozing down the walls, black tar against an endless white marble. The sky was a midnight black overhead, no stars, nothing- or was that the ceiling? Three deep echoes flowed into the empty room. Empty, except for the god of mischief who lay on the floor, perfectly centered. There was no breeze, no air. Neither cold nor hot, empty. Quiet. Sinister. His blood flowed out, sticky, behind him, under him. But he didn't move. There was a figure nearby, hiding in the shadow of the window. The trickster's mind screamed but his throat had clamped shut, no sound made it out. _

_The figure was on top of him now, whispering, but he couldn't understand its words. Then it leaned in closer, its cold breath like ice against his ear. "Your future is mine..." Loki shivered "...eternity bleeds..." He didn't understand. He only wanted to move, to get away, to scream, but his body was paralyzed, his throat burning beneath the eyeless gaze. "Soon."_

Loki jolted up, a scream strangled in his throat. His sheets were soaked and he couldn't catch his breath. _No please!_ his mind screamed, but there was nothing. No dark figure, no unnatural shadows. Only his room in Avengers Tower, a single dim lamp alight in the opposite corner. He gripped the sheets tightly in his trembling hands and continued eyeing the room suspiciously. _Ridiculous fool! Only a nightmare. How many have there been since the Chitauri?_ He shook his head, sighing. _Always something to fear, eh, Silvertongue?_

He got up as carefully as he could, his legs unsteady beneath him, and walked slowly, painfully, into the bathroom. The water was cool against his skin as he washed his face, the feeling of what was utterly _real_ calming his nerves. His face was still cut up, bruised. _If the collar slows my healing...what if I get hurt even more? Can I die? Am I mortal now?_ He blinked at himself and shook the feelings away.

He walked back into the room carefully, with hands touching walls and furniture. _No need to crack my other knee..._ He finally reached the bed and sat down with a tired sigh. _Did I turn that lamp off?_ Loki furrowed his brow, thinking, staring at the darkened lamp, the lights of the city now seeping in. _Wasn't it on when I woke-_ Something jerked him back suddenly, pushing him onto the bed. Loki tried to scream but some cloth was shoved into his mouth. _Why?! Why again? It's not happening, not happening. Another dream! Yes! Nothing more. You're asleep, Loki, nothing more._ His muffled cries were silenced further by a hand as a dark silhouette quickly sat on top of him, pinning his arms to his sides.

"How did I get here?!" an angry voice whispered at Loki. _No..._ He knew the voice, he knew it but didn't want to admit it. The situation so familiar, and so soon after. _How is this possible? Again?_ Loki doubted anyone could have such rotten luck a second time. "Here you are, _little prince_," the voice growled, "and here I am, _again_. Are we aching for another try? Hm, princeling?"

Loki was caught off-guard, too shocked to do anything, to even struggle. The silhouette seemed to be looking around, taking in his surroundings.

"And where is this now? Not on Asgard anymore, are we?" Loki's body couldn't respond. The dark form looked out the window, "Earth? We're on Earth?" He laughed and returned his face to the shaking god beneath him. He leaned down slowly, deliberately, Loki tried to sink further into the covers, tears trickling down into his ears and hair. "I'm going to remove the gag now. If you scream, if you make a _sound_, I _will_ have to hurt you in my _favorite_ way. Is that understood?" His voice dripped with whispering venom, a threat Loki couldn't ignore. The trickster nodded as best he could, blinking away tears.

The hand was removed slowly, then the cloth was pulled out. Loki's mouth was dry, his voice hoarse, "_Please _don't hurt me again," his whispered voice choked out.

"Oh how nice, you do remember," He leaned down with both arms flanking Loki's head. "Answer my questions and I won't have to." He then waited until Loki nodded in agreement. "I really only have _one_ question, little prince: how did I get back here?" Loki's eyes widened in horror.

_ How..? What? I don't know the answer to that! I don't know!_ "I..." he couldn't answer, didn't want to. "I don't know..." _Please please,_ Loki thought, _how can I know?_ "...I do not even understan-" The hand returned, harshly covering both his mouth and his nose, this time.

"Let's try this again," he seethed, "_how_ did I get back here? I know it's _you_ because I arrived where _you_ are, the anchor is _you_, sorcerer. _Tell me now._" The hand let up, but it didn't matter, Loki couldn't speak, his entire body was numb from fear. The threat echoed through him, crashed through his head, left him crying in panic. He shook his head violently, wishing the terrible man away. The silence was screaming at him, the darkness deepening. The city lights were ominous, taunting. The cloth was nearing his mouth again.

"Please..._please_ don't. Please_..mmf!_" But the cloth was already in, shoved so far back he was afraid to breathe. He shook his head again, trying to continue his protest, his plea. _Why bother? It never worked before._

Now he was being turned over, the cold air stinging him for a moment where there had once been warmth. Sickly sticky warmth, not nurturing like the sun, or like his brother's smile- Loki screamed through the gag, muffled though it was.

"Last chance, little one. Feel like telling me now?" A hand ghosted over Loki's face, as though ready to pull out the gag. _What does he think, I'm lying to him?_ But a thought occurred to Loki. He nodded. _If he removes the gag, maybe I could-_ The man was chuckling, "I don't think I believe you. I think you're lying." He leaned over and caught Loki around the throat from behind, then removed the cloth anyway. His body was warm against Loki's backside, the blood left his face. _No..._ Loki gagged when the hand squeezed. "I _was_ thinking about just killing you, but I don't think that would be as much fun." The squeezing hand let go slightly and Loki coughed, but the hand still held his throat tightly. The man hummed an approval, as though Loki had consented somehow. "Come now, it could not have been _that_ bad..." A warm hand drifted down Loki's back.

_Not that bad?_ A sudden rush of anger flowed through the god of mischief. _Not that bad?! _A panicked elbow flew back, cracking against a nose. His attacker was caught off-guard, Loki struggled with all his might, ignoring his injuries, his body fueled by pure rage and fear. He dug his fingers into the arm holding his throat and finally wrenched it away. He kicked as best he could and managed to fall off the side of the bed in front of him, crashing to the floor with a graceless thud.

He wasted no time, he knew he couldn't get away, all he had was a small window of opportunity. The word crashed out of his mind, worked its way into his lungs, then out with the loudest scream he could muster: "_THOR!_"

The moment after he screamed his attacker was on him again, pinning him to the ground, the hand crushing his throat again like iron teeth.

"What? Did you think you could overpower me? Get away?!" He picked Loki up with one arm around his throat and pushed him back onto the bed. Loki couldn't breathe, he couldn't see for all the tears flowing out of his eyes, stinging him. His consciousness was leaving him, the darkness bleeding into his eyes. _Please don't be _my_ Thor_, Loki pleaded.

A sudden crash echoed across the room as the wooden door flew off its hinges and smashed through every piece of furniture until it hit the opposite wall. And there, as though from a whispered dream, was Thor. _His_ Thor, standing with Mjolnir in hand and red cape bordered by the light of the open door. Loki managed a crooked smile, even through the haze and desperation.

He heard Mjolnir sing as it flew across the room, the air suddenly returning to his breaking lungs, his body now so light and free of its burden. Loki fell off the bed again, choking for air, half aware of the two men fighting. A crash rippled through the floor, another loud noise greeted the trickster's ears as he regained his illusive breath. Something broke- a table, maybe, the sound of splinters falling. There was a sudden quiet, then a strangled noise from the other side of the bed. Then a thud. And another, and another.

"Loki get out of here!" he briefly heard, but he didn't want to. He wanted to see this, _needed _to see this. Loki crawled. He crawled on hands, elbows, and one knee, ignoring the pain and the tears that dripped onto his hands. Another thud and then a muffled crack. Loki rounded the bed, he saw the red. Thor's cape and Mjolnir covered in it. Thor- _his_ Thor -was hunched over, he turned around briefly to look at Loki. The thunderer's body and cape obscured the second man, whose legs still moved.

Loki wanted to see. The light from the city was brighter this close to the windows. _Let me see!_ Thor's fierce blue eyes caught sight of Loki's tears, his desperate look, his trembling, crawling form. The thunder god boiled with fury and turned to bloody the figure beneath him once more with the hammer. Loki crawled around so he could see the other- _two Thor's!_ The truth hit him square in the chest, he couldn't hold himself up anymore, his arms gave way as he fell limply to the floor. He stared at the two from his side. His golden brother- _my brother_, Loki smiled weakly -had come for him. He had saved him again. _How could I have doubted him?_

Thor finally stood up, panting, just as another form stumbled hurriedly through the open doorway.

"What the- what happened?!" came Tony's outcry. He moved closer. "Oh." He was staring at the bloodied form on the floor. "Oh...woah..." He walked gingerly, taking in the destroyed room.

Thor was walking now, his boots getting closer to Loki. For a split second an instinct told him to jerk away, but the other man was still there, on the floor in front of him, the true danger. _No. _That _is not my Thor. He's just an imposter unworthy of wearing his face._ But now the real Thor had stopped, still a few steps away. Tony was cursing again and talking, but neither god heard him. _Why doesn't he approach? Why does my brother hesitate?_ The red cape and boots were too far away, Loki couldn't help it any longer- he scrambled as best he could and lunged toward Thor, falling and catching him around his big brother's feet.

"Loki!" Thor protested kindly. He gently loosened Loki's grip and leaned down on his knees so he could hold his little brother. Loki kept his gaze on the unconscious form on the floor. _Imposter,_ he seethed. He gripped Thor around the neck as the thunder god stood up. Thor hugged him gently for a long moment, holding his entire weight as the younger god's feet grazed loosely across the floor.

Loki was tired and in pain, but he didn't care. He had his brother back and that was all that mattered. Someone else had entered the room- Bruce, his mind told him, but he still didn't care.

_He's mine. My Thor. My brother... And I'm never letting him go again._

* * *

**A/N: Is it just me or are Thor and Loki kinda really possessive of each other? Lol. ****I must admit I chuckled a bit at Thor's Big Damn Heroes moment at the end there, but I couldn't _not_ do it like that. That other guy needed a good Mjolnir-smashing in the head. XD**  
Anyway, about the alternate universe thing, I noticed there are alternate universes in the comic books so I figured SHIELD might already know something about that. It's also why the others accept it so readily- it's just not that unheard of in this universe.  


**Hope you guys are liking the fic so far!**


	4. And Then There Were Two

**A/N: Hooboy, this chapter got long, there just wasn't a good stopping point, lol. ****Didn't mean to take so long to update, sorry about that.**

* * *

**- Chapter 4 -**

_**And Then There Were Two**_

Thor had carried Loki into the common area where the Avengers often gathered for movie night. He had meant to place him on the couch and let a worried Bruce look after him, but Loki refused to let go of his brother's neck. Thor and the doctor both sighed, and Bruce mumbled something about helping Tony with the prisoner. Thor nodded and sat down with Loki to his side, still clinging to him and burying his face into Thor's shoulder. His long legs were bent, his knees on Thor's lap as his back leaned slightly on the armrest.

The thunderer sighed internally. _How could this have happened? _Thor wondered. _Where did the other come from? Should I ask Loki or wait until he has calmed down? _Thor couldn't be certain of Loki's state of mind since the younger god refused to release Thor and let him see his face. _How can he recover from this? _He had suffered a very long time at the hands of the Chitauri, longer than Thor could imagine, but somehow, this was different. The man that hurt him wore _Thor's face_. In some way he _was_ Thor. A thought gnawed at the edges of his mind. _Does he refuse to look at my face for fear of what he'll see? Am I forever doomed to see terror on my own brother's face? Will he be forever haunted by the fear that this face- _my_ face -will always be remembered as the one who hurt him- might hurt him again?_

"Loki?" His own voice cracked, it sounded weak, foreign. It didn't sound like the thunder god's voice. He cleared his throat quietly.

Loki stirred and gripped his neck tighter. "No," came the faint protest.

"But I have not asked you anything."

"Please don't leave me..." Thor suddenly felt something wet on his chest and neck. He tried to peek at his brother, but to no avail.

"Loki, are you crying?" He held him tighter. "Please don't cry, I am not going anywhere. I swear it."

Loki sniffled and let one arm down. The other still gripped Thor's shoulders as his body settled in with their respective positions. Thor finally managed a glance at his brother's face, his eyes were shut and his face was red with tears. The blonde raised one hand to wipe the tears, Loki flinched slightly until he realized what Thor was doing. He didn't protest. Loki still refused to open his eyes, though.

Thor didn't want to do too much, so after Loki's face was dry, he kept the other hand around Loki and the other resting on the couch's back.

"Feel better, brother?" It was a ridiculous question, Thor knew, but Loki still nodded. _Or perhaps he does not need to contemplate what has happened. _

Thor heard the ding of the elevator from across the room. The doors opened as a shielded Captain America walked out.

"Captain!" Thor called as he waved once with his free hand. Loki immediately buried his face in Thor's neck even more and whimpered a protest, both hands now curling into the space between them. "Loki," Thor chided softly, "it is only Steve. He will not hurt you, you know this." Loki nodded but didn't budge as Steve put his shield down on Tony's bar and walked over cautiously.

"I heard what happened- or, some of it, Stark talks too fast sometimes. I got here as fast as I could."

Thor nodded his gratitude, "Thank you, Rogers." He rubbed soothing circles on Loki's back with a hand, the smaller god seemed to relax a little.

"Hey, Loki," said Steve, "remember me?"

Loki scoffed and smiled a little into Thor's neck, then after a moment glanced at Steve, "Naturally, captain, I haven't lost my memory, just..." Loki didn't seem to know how to complete the sentence as he looked at the floor.

"Back to 'captain' again, are we?" The soldier smiled sadly.

Thor gave a tight-lipped smile and shrugged, "Stark had a similar objection earlier."

"Oh?" Steve mused. "Where is Tony?" He looked around as though he could spot him.

"I do not know, I am certain Jarvis will assist you there." Thor _did_ know, but he didn't want to mention the 'other' Thor in front of Loki. At least, not just yet. He wasn't certain if Loki even knew he was still alive.

Steve Rogers nodded in understanding. It was one of the many things Thor liked about the captain. He was a soldier, but he had a sensibility few men were capable of, and had the good graces to know when to act on them. He never mocked the weak- or anyone, for that matter -and he was one of the few men he would not hesitate to trust with his brother's care. In fact, Thor noted, all the Avengers were on that list. Even Natasha and Clint were now more loyal to the rest of the Avengers than SHIELD. They had orders, but they never let their sense of duty override their conscience. They had proven that when Thor had first brought a broken Loki here from the clutches of the Chitauri. The agents were hesitant at first, but they slowly realized Loki had paid his dues. No punishment could be worse than what he had already endured. Thor was uncertain if Barton had ever forgiven Loki, but it seemed the Hawk had at least put it behind him.

"Well," Steve began, "I'll go and find him, then." The captain took a step back, then after a moment nodded again at the two gods and left. Thor smiled as he watched him go, saying nothing. What was there to say? He knew some explaining was in order, but he didn't want to discuss it in front of Loki at the moment. Anyway, Thor concluded, Tony could fill him in- as he was no doubt already doing with Bruce. Even so, Thor still wasn't certain what had really happened. He wanted to know, wanted to ask his little brother so everyone could be assured that they were doing enough to keep the intruder, _or whatever he is_, from the rest of the team.

Loki barely moved, seemingly content with their seating arrangement and the situation. The trickster sighed and settled again, but still did not look up.

_He shows great trust. _

A seemingly inescapable anguish had burned its way through Thor's entire being when Stark had revealed the 'match' to Thor. Loki's look of utter terror and betrayal...Thor hadn't known what to do. He thought he had lost his beloved brother forever. Even after the truth was revealed, he wondered if Loki could ever trust again. _It appears he can_, Thor thought. The way the trickster had eyed the 'other' Thor wasn't lost on the thunder god. It seemed as though Loki was creating a new reality for himself; separating the two Thor's, the two 'brothers.' Thor wasn't certain if it was a good thing or not, but, he thought, perhaps it is a good thing, if it allowed Thor to once again be close to his little brother, to embrace him as he had once again become accustomed to after Loki's fall and eventual recovery.

Thor sighed. _Recovery..._ Suddenly it seemed a lie. Barely six months had passed since Thor had taken Loki back to Midgard in order to help the wounded god, and only two weeks since they had returned to Asgard- _home_. And although Loki assured Thor that he was alright, and perhaps it had been for a time...but now, is his little brother regressing because of the attack, or is it something deeper? Did he truly find himself during his second time on Midgard? Is he still broken? Is this a façade to please his big brother and the Avengers? Thor shook his head; these thoughts made his head hurt. Loki was a complex maze, a puzzle that no one but the trickster himself able to solve- even if that puzzle had to be put back together by Thor and the Avengers.

Thor inhaled deeply through his nose then slowly exhaled. He used both arms to embrace Loki in a gentle but tight hug, exceedingly glad that his little brother did not pull away, and hoping that he never would again.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Tony had tried explaining the theory of multiple universes three times to Steve Rogers. He explained it in simple terms, then when that didn't work, he brought up diagrams. It took him threatening to use hand puppets before the captain had given a mischievous tight-lipped grin, which had in turn given Stark permission to throw heavy objects at the bastard. _Dammit, Loki!_ It was the trickster god's fault. There was no way it wasn't. How else would freaking _Steve Rogers_ learn how to lie like that. Well, maybe not an out-and-out _lie_, but close enough. Tony rolled his eyes and shooed Steve out of his lab. 'Go check on the prisoner!' he had ordered, but Steve was already on his way out, still grinning. _Well, then..._ Now Tony found himself wondering exactly _when_ Steve had understood. If it was on the first run-through, that man wasn't right anymore.

_Go check on the prisoner..._ Now Tony suddenly wanted to check on that maniac straight from bizarro land. A wave of sympathy rolled over Tony as he thought about what might have happened to Loki- _again_, he thought -had Thor not intervened. He shuddered at the possibilities, purposely pushing any ideas out of his mind. _Nope. Didn't happen. _Won't_ happen. Not on my watch, and definitely not on Thor's._ But it _had_ happened and Tony was suddenly angry. Angry at Thor for not being there on Asgard, and at Asgard itself for being a crappy place for still-recovering princes. _What's with that place?! Can't even protect their own prince from something like that?_ Tony stood up suddenly, his chair rolling and hitting something metal behind.

He didn't care anymore; he was visiting the damned prisoner no matter what Bruce said.

.

Okay, so a certain Captain America had stopped a certain genius billionaire from entering the holding area before said genius billionaire could work some magic- or _science _magic -and _beat the shit out of an imposter thunder god_. It hadn't occurred to Tony that he wasn't wearing his suit, that's where the 'science magic' was supposed to come in. He could do it, somehow...

Tony was still seething, but the captain was his usual annoyingly patient self, all understanding and logical. How can he control himself so easily? Bruce had informed the two that the 'other Thor' was in no condition to take guests just yet, but that he was also recovering quickly. Although Tony hadn't said as much, he was secretly hoping the imposter Thor wasn't like _their_ Thor, that maybe he wasn't an immortal god, or that maybe his brains had been turned to mush under the tender ministrations of that badass hammer- Tony chuckled to himself..._tender_. He quickly shook it off, thinking it was a stupid joke. But Thor _had_ beat him senseless, and yet, here he was, 'recovering quickly.'

_Ugh_. He wondered why Thor hadn't finished him off.

Tony and Steve were now in a surveillance room watching the prisoner intently but saying nothing. The silence was annoying, but Tony could think of nothing to say for once. _Gods_, he grumbled to himself, _always making me think deep stuff. This is exactly why I like technology: it doesn't talk back- excepting Jarvis -it does what I say, and it doesn't have emotional problems._ It was an unfair thought, Tony knew, but he just felt like complaining to himself for some reason. It crossed his mind to annoy the captain, especially after his earlier stunt, but the good soldier appeared lost in thought as well- and probably thoughts concerning what to do about the prisoner. Tony did not envy that task, and did not want to be asked his opinion by the Avengers' de facto leader. If it were up to Tony, it'd be maim, kill, burn. His wry smile wasn't lost on Steve.

"What are you smiling at?" Steve interjected through Tony's thoughts, but continued eyeing the screens.

"Hm? Oh, nothing, just thinking..."

Steve seemed to be waiting for Tony to finish, but didn't push further when he didn't. "Right then, suit yourself."

Tony was about to say something snarky before he noticed the captain's body tense, then looked at the screen himself: the other Thor was waking up.

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"_Thor..._"

The slumbering thunder god nearly had Mjolnir flying to his hand before realizing the whispering of his name was not a threat. His eyes shot open, revealing a slightly nervous Tony Stark standing several paces away.

"Stark?" Thor blinked away the sleep and looked down at Loki, who was now nearly in his lap and asleep- or so it seemed. "What has happened?" he heard himself say without thinking.

Stark still looked a little apprehensive, apparently Thor's start at waking up had made more of an impression than the blonde had meant. "Uh, wasn't sure if I should tell you this or not," the genius was eyeing Loki as though trying to figure out if the trickster was truly asleep. "But...that, um, guy is awake. Thought you might wanna know."

_Awake?_ Thor didn't know what to think, he only stared at Stark, stunned. It had barely been a day. He knew he hadn't killed the imposter, but he had not considered that the man might awaken, that he was a true and living being, that he could speak, breathe, see, and move... That he could escape, that he might- Thor cut off the thought . _No._ Loki wasn't going anywhere near him, and Stark and Jarvis were watching the cell. The other Avengers would also protect Loki, and each other, to their deaths. Nothing was going to happen.

Stark cleared his throat, still staring at the two gods a few steps away. "Do you...want to talk to him? Or..." the words died on the engineer's lips while he waited for Thor to consider an answer, two questioning hands out, palms up.

"I..." Thor didn't know how to answer. Should he speak to the vile creature that attacked his brother? Why should he not simply kill him? Why had he not the first time, when it was fully within both his rights and his power? Some distant part of Thor's mind registered that the imposter was from another place- another place well beyond conventional understanding and that killing him might somehow have unforeseen consequences. But Thor still wanted to kill him. He deserved it. Deserved to be put down like a dog- a monster. Anyone who acted in such a manner should not be allowed to continue breathing. Thor shook his head. Loki had done terrible things as well, did he deserve what had happened to him at the hands of the Chitauri? _No,_ a thought told him, it wasn't the same. One wrong did not equal another. Loki had a purpose to his evil; he may have been lost for a time, but he had truly believed he was in the right. Loki had meant to rule Midgard, he did not kill for the sake of any twisted pleasure- everything was a means to an end, however misguided. And, as terrible as it seems, there are things worse than death... This creature- this being that had stolen Thor's face clearly had no qualms about doing such things.

No. He deserved death. But first, answers.

Thor looked up, intending to answer Tony, but found that the man of iron had already left. He looked down at Loki only to find the trickster's eyes open. The thunder god would have been startled if not for the fact that Loki was gazing in the direction of where Stark had stood, as though expecting the genius to return.

"Loki," Thor said quietly, hoping his brother would look at him. He did not.

The younger god's eyes flickered to the floor, then his own hands, which now rested in his lap tiredly. "You are leaving," came the disappointed response, as though the world had just fallen through.

"Loki," Thor said again, pulling him closer with both arms, "I am not leaving, but I need to speak to this...to this," he hesitated, "other _me_."

The mischief god's eyes flicked angrily to Thor's for a split second, but quickly looked away as though Thor's face shined like the sun. The trickster's anger melted as quickly as it had come, his gaze fixed on the other end of the couch. "You said you would not leave..."

Thor sighed quietly. He knew Loki had understood what he had promised earlier, that he would never abandon him. He was not a child- even if he sometimes acted like it -he did not truly expect Thor to stay with him every moment of every day, but it still hurt Thor to even consider leaving him, even for a short time. He knew one of the others could speak to the prisoner, but he felt it was his right to do it instead.

The god of thunder scooted slightly to the side to allow his brother to lay on the couch by himself, then stood up slowly, still wondering if he should leave. He only stood there, not looking down at Loki's eyes, uncertain what emotions might be painted across the younger's face. But he wasn't about to leave Loki completely alone, so he asked Jarvis to see if Steve Rogers would come here and look after his brother. The AI acknowledged then a moment later informed him that Captain Rogers was on his way. Thor thanked the AI but still could not bring himself to look at Loki.

_You are leaving him alone...like you did before. Look what happened then. You weren't there..._ Thor shook the thoughts away. He wouldn't be alone; the captain would be here- and this wasn't Asgard, Jarvis watched every corner of the building. _But Heimdall is the same and yet even he could not see._ Thor walked a few steps away, suddenly angry with himself.

He didn't have time to complete his thoughts, though, as Steve Rogers walked in with a questioning look on his face. The moment he saw Thor's face, however, he seemed to understand. For a moment the captain seemed about to say something, but then pursed his lips in a straight line and stepped out of the way as if to say, 'good luck.'

Thor passed him without a second glance at Loki. On his way out, the thunder god heard a quiet voice behind him say, "You are not _him_."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

The cell in which Tony, Bruce and Steve had placed the imposter Thor reminded Stark somewhat of the SHIELD cell on the helicarrier of which Loki had briefly been a guest. Tony thought it a good design, even if it lacked the ridiculously over-dramatic- if necessary -drop of the helicarrier's. The idea was still the same, an impenetrable glass cage so there was no place to hide or plot for escape. A containment system for the most dangerous of threats. Of course, Tony couldn't resist adding some of his own features, and surely it was all the better for it.

The genius had been boredly watching the fake Thor pace around his cell, clearly agitated but still amazingly calm, given that he had just been pummeled by a certain magical hammer wielded by his own super-powered double. It had barely been a day and he was already walking around. _Damned gods_, Tony thought. He smirked and briefly wondered if lightning would smote him for the thought until he noticed a second Thor entering the detainment area.

_Oh goody, he took me up on the offer_. Tony would have considered getting popcorn if it wasn't so inappropriate. _Well fine. If Thor starts beating him senseless again, _then_ I'll get the popcorn_. Tony smiled, satisfied.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

The moment Thor walked up to the familiar cell he wanted to smash it to pieces; the false looking-glass making a mockery of everything he was. The creature on the other side smiled, smug and confident as though it was his choice to be here. The familiarity of it made his stomach churn and the look was so wrong on his own face; foreign and inappropriate. The being still had a few bruises from his fight, but he seemed otherwise unharmed. Thor's fingers suddenly itched to feel Mjolnir, to grip the cool handle and beat the imposter a second time, if only to wipe the look off his face.

"Finally, I was getting bored waiting for you- me...however you want to put it." The imposter smiled with white teeth- teeth which begged Thor to break with the hammer. The other Thor closed his mouth but continued smiling. "How is that little god of yours? Still cowering in a corner somewhere, no doubt-"

"Do not speak of him," Thor seethed through his teeth.

The imposter nodded in mock understanding, "He's your brother, right?" The thing stepped boredly around the cell, ignoring Thor. "I can't imagine how that happened..." He turned around briefly, smirking at the thunder god. "He's such a weak thing, how does he have _us_ for a brother? Even if he was adopted-"

"_You_ are not his brother, coward." Thor took a step closer.

The other barked out a laugh, "Ah, a coward. No denial of your _brother's_ weakness, though, hm?" He continued looking around the cell as though something interesting might have popped up in the last few seconds.

Thor only ignored him, "I am not here for your questions." He narrowed his eyes. "Why are you here, imposter?"

"'Imposter'?" the word rolled off his tongue as half a laugh. "I'm Thor as much as you are." The man looked Thor up and down, as though deciding if he truly believed that himself. "Interesting hammer."

"How did you get here?" Thor continued ignoring his questions, but was becoming frustrated. _Why would he answer me? I have nothing to force him to speak._ The next moment he wondered if that were really true. Was there something he could do?

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Loki, Rogers and Stark were all watching from the common room. Stark had joined the other two after getting 'creeped out', as the inventor had put it, by the other Thor. He had brought up a holographic display screen, which hovered above the coffee table next to the three. One half of the screen showed one Thor, the other the alternate reality Thor. Steve seemed just as unnerved, but Loki, interestingly enough, seemed to relax more at the sight of the two standing together. Tony wondered why that was before being interrupted by the voices from the screen.

"Why should I answer you?" came the alternate Thor's reply. The three knew Thor really didn't have much to bargain with, except perhaps the imposter's life, but that somehow seemed like it wouldn't scare him very much. _But this really isn't Thor_, Tony thought, _how would we know what he thinks about...well anything?_ They had no idea how he'd react to threats, they had no intel, no psychological profile, nothing to go on but gut instincts. And going simply by "evil version of Thor" wasn't exactly helpful. If anything, he was more like an evil version of Loki- Tony stopped himself there. Now _that_ was just creepy. But the voices were talking again.

"Answer my questions or I will kill you."

The other Thor laughed again, clearly amused. "You are going to kill me anyways, so again, I ask: why should I answer you?" His mocking tone was becoming tiresome. Tony was amazed that Thor hadn't tried smashing the man into little bloody pieces already, even Tony was getting the urge to knock his teeth out...again. His demeanor was all wrong on someone that looked like Thor. His smile wasn't radiant like the sun, but instead vicious and razor sharp, like twisted trees in winter.

"Well," Tony said, "it seems like all those years hanging around you, Mr. Silvertongue, has given Thor some kinda practice with this sorta thing, huh?" _Or, at least, patience. _He looked pointedly at Loki, who only glanced at him for a moment before continuing to stare at the screen, completely enraptured.

Even so, Loki answered, "Perhaps. But my brother is still ill-equipped for interrogation- especially with...someone that appears like himself." Stark nodded but said nothing, realizing that the trickster had changed what he had originally meant to put at the end of his sentence. _'...someone like me'?_

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

The other Thor was smiling again. The thunder god wished Loki was by his side, he would have had this creature dancing like a puppet on strings by now. He shook his head. _No...even if this imposter hadn't done..._ Thor lowered his head slightly. _Loki has changed so much; he is not the silver-tongued, brilliant mischief maker I once knew_. Thor liked the new Loki, but he still missed what made Loki _Loki_ for so many centuries. He hoped that part wasn't forever lost, buried passed its neck within the darkness of a blood-soaked ground, stolen by hurts he wished they could chase away together. To be whole again.

The imposter was now laughing, "I'm surprised at you, _Thor_. After what I did to your brother- nearly _twice_ -you show remarkable restraint." The mismatched smile appeared, "Or maybe...you care as little as I do-"

"Do not attempt to bait me, imposter, your words will get you nowhere," Thor seethed.

"No? But you _do_ care, don't you? He's your baby brother and yet," the creature tilted his head slightly, "here I am. Still alive, still breathing after all I've done." He lifted a hand to his chin, as though thinking, "Hm. Perhaps we're not so different, you and I-"

"I am _nothing_ like you."

The breathy laugh was grating, "Then why didn't you kill me when you had the chance?"

Thor unconsciously took a half-step back. He didn't truly know the answer himself; was it really out of a newfound cautious nature? This creature didn't deserve any deliberation, he deserved death. He would no doubt continue to do evil, and Asgardian justice applied in this situation. Or did it? He may have Thor's face and Thor's voice, but he was not of this universe.

"Did he," the imposter was speaking, staring at Thor, "tell you what I did?" Thor blinked at him. _What-?_ The thunder god didn't answer. The devious creature smiled, "No, I suppose he didn't- well, not with any detail, why would he?"

Thor glared at his mirror image, "Be silent-"

"Yes, why would he? It's embarrassing, isn't it?" the thing laughed. "I mean, with the screaming and the sobbing and crying. Did you know he tore up his own sheets like some rabid cat?" Thor could feel his face heating up, red with anger, wanting to shut this imposter up, stop his words, but he was frozen. "No? None of that?" The imposter seemed to be thinking, nodding, amused. "What about how he _begged_ me to stop? How he seemed lost on who to call for help?" It chuckled, "Apparently, he was confused: should I call for my brother- no wait, that's him behind me." He broke out into laughter, bent over slightly and holding his middle.

Mjolnir suddenly cracked the glass, and Thor watched with some satisfaction when the imposter jumped back a little. Even so, the other still seemed fairly amused by the whole situation, still holding back a chuckle.

"Struck a nerve, did I?" the imposter mused, clearly satisfied, steady eyes boring into Thor's suddenly.

_What should I do?_ Thor thought. _Beat him into submission,_ one side said, _kill him,_ another said. Thor wondered at his own thoughts; apparently no part of him wanted to keep the imposter alive. Whatever consequences came of killing him, Thor would deal with. He _needed_ to be rid of the other one. The thing was wearing his face, punishing the real Thor by even existing. _Yes. Death..._

Thor reached out a hand to open the cell.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Loki was lost. He wanted to hide away, shut the screen off, melt into the fabric of the couch beneath him. Every part of his body still hurt, but this, the words coming from this mock-Thor's mouth was worse, like shards of glass in skin. He didn't want to hear anymore; the casual words flowing from the thing's mouth like a jest, as though he had only pranked the prankster. Everything a joke.

But he couldn't stop it. He couldn't even stop _staring_. His body was tense, every nerve screaming at him to stop, to relax- don't sit that way, don't move that muscle, breathe, breathe, _breathe_...

"Thor." A woman's voice floated from the screen before them. Loki focused his vision; he had been staring, but not really looking.

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Thor turned around, startled. Mjolnir was frozen in his hand, poised to strike at the disgusting creature behind the glass. But the glass hadn't slid open yet, and now a red-headed woman was standing beside him. "Lady Romanoff?" Thor managed, but his voice was hoarse.

She glanced sideways at him but continued staring at the glass. "I'll be taking over this interrogation, Thor. I think your brother needs you right now." It wasn't a request; her face was set, expressionless.

Thor knew this face, it said: 'My turn.' The thunder god nodded and walked a few steps away. He also knew it was his right to question the prisoner, and that _she_ also knew that, but there was no doubt that she was the master at this particular craft and that even Loki was susceptible to her skill at times. Thor needed that right now. Yes, he wanted to pummel the smug creature into the ground, but some part of his mind, the part that had lived with the silver-tongued god for so long, acknowledged the fact that being beaten by words would be worse for this creature. And that was Natasha's speciality.

The god of thunder smirked silently on the way out, even as the imposter called out, "And here I thought we were bonding so beautifully." But Thor just ignored him and walked back to his brother.

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All three of the people watching the feed were surprised. "What the hell," came Tony's ever subtle response to the Black Widow's appearance. Loki only stared, while Steve was looking away, somewhere toward the door of the common area. "What's-" Tony began, but cut himself off when Agent Barton walked up to them quietly.

"Hey," said Barton.

"Hey," said Tony and Steve.

Loki only shrunk back, apparently uncomfortable with a new arrival to their party. _Well,_ thought Tony, _hope he doesn't start that up again._ Tony wanted to comfort Loki, or maybe just tell him to cut it out- it was just Clint. But either his sympathy for Loki or his curiosity at Natasha's arrival kept him quiet. That, and the knowledge that he'd probably get punched by Steve, and maybe Clint, if he did the second thing.

Natasha wasn't talking yet, though, just standing and being all intimidating the way she does.

"How'd you guys get here?" Tony found himself asking, hoping the answer was short so he wouldn't miss anything.

"Bruce called," said Clint, "but we weren't sure we could make it so I guess he didn't want to tell you guys. You know how cautious he can be." Tony breathed out an understanding through his nose but kept his eyes on the screen. Clint eyed Loki, "I hope it's not back to 'Hawkeye's gonna kill me', hm?"

Loki looked in Clint's general direction but kept his eyes on the floor, "I don't-" but Natasha was speaking so Loki jerked his gaze to the screen, so did Clint.

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_This is going to be easier than I thought_, Natasha mused. Bruce had told her and Clint the entire story while they were still on mission. The mission was nothing special, but they couldn't stop in the middle and abandon their posts. Even so, everything was resolved quickly, and they drove back as soon as it was over. They would have taken a quinjet but they were barely a few miles away and it seemed excessive.

"So," she had said, "you're Thor, too?"

He had eyed her, suspicion on his face, brows furrowed. He tried to compose himself, "Yes...I am. And you are..?"

"You can call me Agent Romanoff." Her face was blank, but she allowed the corner of her mouth to twitch, the tiniest sign of civility.

The imposter dipped his head to the side, half out of courtesy and half out of curiosity, or so it seemed. _He's hiding..._ Natasha thought. Even having only observed this man for a couple of minutes, it was obvious that he was hiding something. She stepped closer, confirming her assumption: _anxiety_. She thought for a moment, _and nervousness... Perhaps not outright fear. _She didn't know why he would be apprehensive because of her, but she remembered a look on his face when she first arrived. A flash of something akin to recognition- but not quite. She didn't know how to gauge that particular reaction so she had ignored it at the time. But now, _yes, he's definitely nervous_.

She smiled cordially but let something sinister slip in behind her teeth, not recognizable unless the person seeing it interpreted it in a dark way.

"Agent Romanoff," he nodded, a fake mask molding to his face. _Hm. He's trying to hide. Feigning indifference, nonchalance._ She wasn't so easily fooled.

"I understand you're from another place," she hesitated but didn't change her blank expression. "Another...universe? Right?"

He smirked and scrutinized her from the corner of his eye, "Oh? What makes you say that, Miss Romanoff?"

"You'll call me Agent, or Agent Romanoff," she interjected, eyes hard but still without emotion.

He continued staring at her, but nodded, "Very well, _Agent Romanoff_."

"And what makes me say that," she continued, "is that it's the truth." She didn't change her stance, didn't move a muscle, didn't look away. He was clearly trying to match her demeanor, but his was cracking. Natasha was still forming the thoughts as to why.

"I may look like that other...man. But," he tilted his head slightly, "that doesn't mean-"

"You are from an alternate universe, and I really don't feel like playing with words about it."

His hesitation gave her the answer.

It should have been obvious from the start, but she was too caught off guard by his face, and the simple idea that there really were _two Thors_ in the same room with her. Of course she didn't let that show on her face, she would lose the upper hand. But now, she knew why his attitude shifted when she entered the room. Part of it was obvious: there was something about her face that was familiar to him. Perhaps she resembled someone from his universe, although there should have been more of a recognition if that were true, or it might simply be that there was some as yet unknown reason for his apprehension. She couldn't decide which, and it really didn't matter at this point.

This man may look like Thor, but he acted more like Loki. He wielded words and wore masks, two things Thor never did. But there was one significant detail that separated this imposter from Loki, _it was all fake_. Loki truly _was_ good with words. He had several nicknames and a thousand years worth of experience to back it up. Yes, she had bested him _once_, but it had become clear to her that he used words and manipulation like most people used breathing as a means to continue living. But this being in front of her... The same demeanor and tactics appeared to be a façade; like he had spent years observing someone else do the same things he was now trying. It would work on Thor, of course, but it wouldn't work on her. It also wouldn't work on Loki- or, at least what Loki used to be.

And there was something else...

"But I _like_ playing at words, Agent," came his delayed response. He seemed to notice a shift in her personality.

"No. Stop." Natasha wanted to test something, and now was the time. The imposter said nothing, but he had the presence of mind to eye her curiously instead of doing what she was _sure_ he really wanted to do. "I'm going to speak now, and you're going to listen," she began, not waiting for him to respond. "There is one thing that's going to happen here, and nothing will change it: you are going to die." He narrowed his eyes at her, but something about the way he shifted told her he wasn't going to speak just yet. "But," she took one step forward, "I'm also going to give you a choice about that." The man waited, apprehensive curiosity on his face. "There are two ways you might die. Number one: I let the other Thor, and possibly his brother, decide how you should die. And if for some reason the two of them can't get creative enough, which I doubt, I'll have to intervene and help them out." She could see his face, albeit subtly, drain of just a little bit of color. "Number two," she continued dryly, "you tell me everything I want to hear, and you die peacefully. No pain, nothing. Just dead."

"If those are the choi-"

The look she gave him gave him pause. It said, 'Shut up, or I'll do number one anyway.' But the look drifted away almost immediately, once again replaced by her mask. "So," she took another step closer without taking her eyes off him, "which would you prefer?"

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Loki couldn't help but let a little smile cross his lips. He knew _exactly _what she was doing. If there was anyone on Earth, or in the Nine Realms for that matter, that could figure this creature out, it was Natasha. Loki was surprised with himself. He simply _couldn't_ read the imposter Thor until Natasha had walked into the room. Suddenly it was like a light had been turned on; the instincts that earned him the titles of _Liesmith_ and _Silvertongue_ swimming to the surface. Of course, Natasha hadn't lied yet, not really, and she didn't need to. Everything about this being told Loki that he was not as accustomed to interrogation as he initially seemed. Certainly it was simple enough to get Thor riled up, words were never his forte, but _the Black Widow_... Loki smiled again, he would be all too easy for her, prey for the spider.

"What the hell?" Tony's favorite words, as of late. "Why's he listening to her?"

Clint sighed, Steve nodded with the same questions, brow furrowed. Loki continued staring at the screen. For a moment he considered letting them wallow in their ignorance, but he wanted to gloat. To gloat with the Black Widow, the only equal to himself- even if it was only between the two of them. But he finally spoke, albeit quietly and without taking his eyes off the screen, "He's intimidated by her."

Tony jerked his head around, "Well that much is obvious. My questions is, ya'know: _why_?" Clint sighed again. Loki wondered if he knew.

"I do not believe even she truly knows," stated Loki, "but the fact remains, he is."

Tony looked back at the screen, the imposter Thor was pacing, thinking.

Steve spoke up, "So he's taking her seriously?"

"Of course," said Loki. "Why shouldn't he? Everything about her tells him that she is a master at her craft. Her stance, her demeanor, her hard stare, her lack of emotional connection to the task at hand." Every Avenger in the room was looking at him. Loki resisted the urge to cower, so he latched onto his words, flowing like they once did. "She even seems caught somewhere between boredom and determination." He wondered if he should stop, _am I giving away her secrets?_ But he kept going, unable to stop now that the words were out. "Whatever he is, wherever he comes from, it's clear that he has little experience with interrogation himself. She's using that against him, taking control."

"What do you mean?" _Thor..._ Thor was standing behind him, listening, watching. _How long has he been standing there?_

Loki glanced back for a moment then back at the screen, hoping he would not insult his brother, "I am sorry, brother, but he clearly sees right through you. You are as honest as the good captain, and as powerful as the Hulk, but your skill with words is lacking." Loki paused, reluctant to take his eyes off the screen. "You... 'wear your heart on your sleeve' as the humans put it. It is an endearing quality, but is very little help when you must interrogate someone. And furthermore," Loki _did_ glance back now, "you are much too close to this. Even I would..." he trailed off, unable to continue. Thor's face was impassive but not hurt. It was his hand suddenly on Loki's shoulder, squeezing lightly, that surprised the trickster, as if to say, 'I understand' and 'thank you for being honest.' Loki managed a small smile even as he looked away, to watch the scene unfold before them.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Time's up," came the Black Widow's deadpan words.

The imposter jerked his head up from his thinking position. He eyed her warily, then smiled, "Very well, Agent Romanoff, you win. What do you wish to know?"

Natasha was smirking, but only internally. She kept the blank mask on, as if she didn't care which choice he made. Her nonchalance seemed to elicit the desired effect, even as the man tried to hide his disconcertion. "Tell me why you came here." _Good_, she thought, _simple, not too much. We'll start broad, then get more into details_.

He seemed to be considering her question, then answered, "We are explorers." He sat down. Natasha allowed a small smirk, but not for the answer. Sitting down was a sign of compliance, that they were cooperating. It could be used to convey that purposefully, as Loki had done on the helicarrier, or it could be involuntary, as was obviously the case here.

"You're lying," she said simply. "Or, at least," she added, "you're not telling the whole truth." He eyed her, amusement on his face. "Maybe I should have been more clear about those choices. Lying gets you nowhere here. I have other things to do, I don't need to be here."

"Then why are you?" he asked.

"You shouldn't worry about that," she said in a cool voice. "And, to continue, lying gets you choice number one by default. I honestly don't care either way, I'm just doing this as a favor, but ultimately, _it's my decision_." It was an odd tactic, but this other Thor's inexperience with interrogation would throw him off easily. Her last sentence raised a lot more questions, and she could almost see them working through the blonde's mind, as though he couldn't decide which new question he wanted answered. But if he's learned anything thus far, it's that she wasn't likely to answer any of them.

"A favor, hm?" He was grasping at straws, trying to take back power. She knew what he was going to say before he said it, "Then you are friends with them? The other me, and the little god I-"

She held up two fingers, "If you're going to start spouting about what you did to him. Don't. I've already heard it and I'm not going to hear it again."

"And, what, you're going to let the brothers at me-?"

"Number one choice it is then." She began walking away.

He stood up, hands out in surrender, "Very well, very well..." he smiled, but it was all wrong. "I give in. What was your question, again?"

Natasha hesitated, as though she were considering having him killed right now, but then walked back slowly to her previous spot, and her previous stance. "I think we'll move onto another question, since you brought him up." _That's right_, she thought, _confuse and distract._ Giving him back an ounce of power kept him going; the illusion of control. Complete lack of control made subjects shut down, clam up.

"Oh?" he was sitting back down.

"Loki. Why go after him?" The question was open-ended and non-specific. Better to get them to reveal things outside of the initial question.

The man gave a half-smile, "He's a sorcerer. We," he hesitated, clearly not comfortable speaking about it, "we need someone adept at sorcery to get...back."

Natasha nodded, "You mean, back home. To your _reality_- your universe."

He nodded in return. "Essentially," he looked down at his hands, then back to her. "Your sorcerer was needed for a ritual. This ritual was what brought us home." _Us,_ Natasha noted. She hadn't gotten the whole story since Loki was understandably reluctant to talk about it, as well as Thor.

"And the assault?" She stared blankly, he stared back but narrowed his eyes, partly amused at her wording.

"Assault?" he stood up, walking toward her. "I was bored," he shrugged. He kept his eyes on her, clearly he felt he had done no wrong. _Like a true monster_, Natasha thought. She didn't respond. The back of her mind was seething with anger, but she was too well-trained to let it show. She had a job to do, and she would do it.

"And why attack him a second time?"

He tilted his head and pursed his lips, "I was trying to get him to talk. I truly have no idea how I ended up back here- and on _Earth_, no less. We were on Asgard when we left."

"So you think he did it, that he would bring you back here?" She exhaled a snort. "What? Did you actually think he would do that? On purpose?"

The blonde shrugged, "I was in a hurry at the time. Maybe I wasn't thinking clearly, but," he leaned forward, pointing, "he _is_ connected to it, somehow. He's the central focus, I would have ended up on Asgard, otherwise."

_Why is he giving me so much?_ Something wasn't right and Natasha was beginning to notice a subtle change in his attitude. It was something small, something he was trying to hide behind his mask. _What is it?_

He was smiling at her now, waiting for another question.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"Something is wrong," Loki piped up. Thor was sitting to his left now, having removed a complaining Stark several minutes earlier.

"Brother? What do you see?"

Loki leaned closer, as though that would help, "Stark." Tony, who was now sitting on the other side of Thor, a seat which had previously been occupied by one Captain America, peeked around the thunder god's bulk with a pouty hurt expression. Loki hesitated, then nearly rolled his eyes. "_Tony_."

The genius beamed with a wide grin. "Yes, dearest?"

Loki eyed the streaming video, "Can you zoom in on the...prisoner?"

Tony nodded quickly, understanding. His hands bracketed the hovering hologram, then spread wide so the entire side containing the other Thor was centered on only the prisoner himself, not the entire cell. "There you go," he sat back. "You see something?"

Loki didn't answer. He was too preoccupied watching the imposter Thor to think of an answer. _What is it?_ The man was doing _something_, but the mischief god couldn't be certain what. The other side of the screen still showed Natasha, and based on her reactions, it was obvious to Loki that she had caught on as well.

"What is it, brother?" Thor leaned forward as though he could catch whatever the younger god was looking at.

"It's not right," Loki replied. "Something...something is not right. He is...stalling?" _Is that what he's doing? But why?_ If he was able to escape the cell he should have done it already.

"Stalling?" came Bruce's voice. Loki couldn't help but jump slightly since the man was standing behind Loki, similarly to Thor earlier. _How do these people keep sneaking up on me?_ The trickster glanced back but not enough to catch the doctor's expression.

"Yes," Loki began, "although I cannot be certain why..."

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

"You're hiding something," Natasha tried. _The truth, then,_ she thought. So far, some form of the truth had worked, no reason it shouldn't here.

He raised a careful eyebrow, "Oh? Why do you say that?"

"Well, for one thing, it's obvious. And second..." She pursed her lips. "Well. Maybe I should go back to my first question, which you didn't quite answer." _He's stalling_, she understood, _but why?_ She doubted he would tell her why, but now it was time to find some more answers. Maybe he'd let slip why he was stalling somewhere along the way.

"Hm, yes. Why am I here, was it?" He walked toward the glass but stopped halfway to Natasha. "I am afraid I cannot tell you that."

Natasha narrowed her eyes, "We've already been through this-"  
"And I would love nothing more than to tell you, but, truthfully, even if you didn't kill me, someone else certainly would." He gave a small shrug.

The widow nodded, "So, whoever you work for." He gave one large nod, then straightened himself. "But," said Natasha, "I think maybe you've forgotten something. We_ are _going to kill you either way. Why not tell us everything for a guaranteed quick death? Something tells me your employer won't be as kind." She finished with a small smile.

He shrugged with one shoulder, "Perhaps, but I'm not willing to put that to the test." Natasha frowned internally. Whoever he worked for, did he fear them more than death? And he was still stalling, _what is he waiting for?_

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Thor was worried. Up until this point, Natasha and Loki seemed to understand everything about the imposter; it was as if they could read him by looking at him. Loki working as a sort of interpreter for what Natasha was doing brought a smile to the thunderer's lips, it was a small but definite sign that his brother still had his unique talents- they just needed to be coaxed out. He just wished it didn't take such extreme circumstances for it to happen.

The two on the screen were silent, eyeing each other.

Beside Thor, the trickster sighed. Not a sigh of exasperation or frustration, but one of exhaustion. Thor leaned in. "Brother," he whispered, "you are still not well. I should take you to your room." Thor hesitated. "Or perhaps a new room would be better," he smiled sadly at the trickster, who still refused to look him in the eye, although he returned the smile with a small one of his own. Thor put a hand on the nape of his brother's neck, hoping the familiar gesture would soothe him- although the collar got in the way somewhat.

Loki nodded tiredly, "Perhaps, brother, but...it is coming upon me just now. I..I am getting weaker." The mischief god's eyes were drooping as he leaned more and more on his big brother. Thor frowned. _What should I do? Is he getting worse?_ Thor chastised himself, _I should have let Banner look after him, even if he protested. If the collar stops his magic, he may be worse off than he would be normally._ The larger god wrapped an arm around his brother, steadying him.

"Loki," Thor said, worry in his voice, "what would you like me to do?"

Banner had already moved around the couch to stand next to the gods, to their right. "Loki?" Bruce's brow was furrowed, worried as well. He was now leaning down, a hesitant hand reaching out to the now slumping trickster god. "Are you okay?" asked the doctor, his hand tentatively checking Loki's pulse.

"What is it?" Thor asked at the expression on Bruce's face.

The doctor shook his head and continued eyeing Loki, worry even more evident, "His pulse is erratic, I'm not sure what's causing it." He looked to Thor, "Can you carry him to the medical roo-"

"No!" Loki suddenly jumped out of the thunderer's grip, standing and then stumbling on his legs before half-falling to the floor. Banner scooted backward, certain that an over-protective big brother was about to intervene.

Thor had jumped up almost immediately, but remained where he stood, in shock. "Loki..?" His voice soft, quiet, uncertain. _What is happening?_ There was something happening to Loki's body. Small runes of blue light were appearing on each of his limbs, his chest, as well as his forehead. "Brother, what is happening?" asked Thor quietly.

Loki only shook his head, looking down at his body. Thor couldn't see his face, but the god of mischief was beginning to shake.

"What the hell is going on?!" yelled Stark.

"Shut up, Tony!" was Steve's response to Stark's overuse of the question.

Thor stepped closer to Loki, carefully, hoping his little brother wouldn't try running again. "Loki, allow us to help you."

The black hair lifted to show a terrified face, "Brother..." came the weak reply. There was a sudden bright flash that had the Avengers cowering where they were.

.

The god of thunder was trying his best to blink the whiteness out of his vision. He heard Stark somewhere to his left cursing a continuous stream of profanities as well as the expected noises of disapproval from the captain. Thor hoped that Banner was not too startled by whatever had just happened-

"What was that?" Banner interjected. Thor sighed with relief, but before he had a chance to check on Loki, he was greeted by a familiar face hovering near his brother. _Sif?_

* * *

**A/N: Yeeahhh, so sorry for the cliffhanger! Not too bad of a cliffie, though, right? Ehehe.**


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